When Allison Guedes turns 21 this year, she will receive a birthday card from NIU Health Enhancement.

The sophomore business major said she plans to celebrate her birthday at home with her friends and family.

“I’ll probably have a couple drinks, but I’m going to be responsible about it,” she said.

As part of Health Enhancement’s 21st Birthday Card program – also called “Be Responsible About Drinking,” or BRAD – every NIU student receives a 21st birthday card as a reminder to stay safe while drinking.

According to the BRAD foundation Web site, the organization was founded to honor the memory of Bradley McCue, a Michigan State University junior who died of alcohol poisoning after celebrating on the eve of his birthday in 1998.

Included in each birthday card is information about BRAD, information on alcohol poisoning and a drink estimator, said Donna Schoenfeld, director of Health Enhancement.

BAC drink estimators help figure out a maximum number of drinks to stay at a safe drinking level. This is determined by gender, body weight (fat to muscle ratio) and time spent drinking.

“We know that students engage in high-risk drinking behaviors before [and after] they turn 21, so this isn’t just about staying safe on your 21st birthday,” Schoenfeld said. “This is our message in general, to stay safe and be responsible when drinking.”

Though BRAD is a nationwide program, Health Enhancement started the program at NIU in 2004 and mails about 900 BRAD cards each semester, Schoenfeld said.

According to the Spring 2005 National College Health Assessment, of the 54,111 college students surveyed on their drinking habits the last time they partied, 18.8 percent reported zero alcohol use, 40.9 percent reported having one to four drinks, 27 percent said they have five to eight drinks and 13.3 percent reported drinking nine or more drinks.

“[The National College Health Assessment] indicates to me that about 69.7 percent of all students drank four or less drinks the last time they partied,” Schoenfeld said. “So that’s a pretty good indication that students are being responsible with their alcohol consumption.”

Some ways to practice protective behaviors while drinking include eating before and during drinking, using a designated driver, keeping track of the number of drinks consumed and avoiding drinking games, Schoenfeld said.

This semester, Health Enhancement will evaluate celebration drinking on campus and will conduct a health assessment survey, she said.

For more information, call Health Enhancement at 753-9755, or go to the BRAD Foundation Web site at www.BRAD21.org.