Alcohol Pre-Loading (Pre-Drinking, Pre-Gaming, etc.)

Alcohol pre-loading is also called by these terms.

- Pre-drinking
- Pre-gaming
- Prefunking
- Home drinking
- Prinking

It’s also sometimes spelled predrinking, pregaming, and pre-funking. Take your choice.

Alcohol pre-loading is drinking at a private residence before going out at night. The destination is a place to socialize, party, or attend a sports event (hence the term pre-gaming). Or it could be to go to any place where access to alcohol might be expensive, limited, or prohibited.

Overview

I. Reasons

II. Research

III. Other Results

IV. Resources

I. Reasons for Pre-Drinking

The motives for the popular practice are many. They can include entering an event already buzzed or saving money by drinking less expensive alcohol. They can do this at home before leaving.

It can be to ensure that the drinker’s supply of alcohol won’t be gone before the night is over. Often it’s to reduce anxiety before beginning the evening’s entertainment.

Some pre-load to socialize more easily without the loud noise in bars. Of course, many pre-load simply to conform.

Preloading usually occurs before a night out. But it often occurs before other activities at which getting alcohol might be a problem.

II. Research on Alcohol Pre-Loading

Researchers studied 18 to 24 year-olds in the Australian state of Victoria. They found that three-quarters reported pre-loading alcohol.That’s before going out at night to bars and pubs.¹

Some investigators report that pre-loading leads to higher consumption levels.² But a study in England found that preloading was not a risk factor. It didn’t increase their alcohol emergency room visits .³

Yet a study in Liverpool found very different results. It reported that those who pre-loaded were 2.5 times more likely to have been involved in a fight previous year. That’s in the city’s nightlife.⁴ And a study in Switzerland also found that pre-loading was linked with negative outcomes.⁵

Studies have found that more women than men engage in preloading.⁶ But estimates of the proportion of people who pre-load vary widely. And the proportion may be increasing as a result of more strict alcohol laws and their enforcement.

III. Other Results of Preloading

When pre-loading results from high alcohol prices, the effects on retail vendors are negative. That is, they sell less alcohol. It also increases their risk of liability as a result of serving intoxicated persons.

Pre-drinking, by whatever name, may be an undesirable high-risk practice.

Drinking Too Much Alcohol as a Self-Handicapping Strategy.

IV. Resources on Alcohol Pre-Loading

Readings

- Barton, A. and Husk, K. “I don’t really like the pub […]”: reflections on young people and pre-loading alcohol. Drugs Alco Today, 14(2), 58-66
- DeJong, W., et al. Pregaming. An exploratory study. J Am Coll Health, 58(4), 307-316.
- Foster, J. and Ferguson, C. Alcohol ‘pre-loading.’ A review of the literature. Alco Alco, 49(2), 213-226.
- McCreanor, T., et al. ’Drink a 12 box before you go.’: Pre-loading among young people. New Zealand J Soc Sci, 11(1), 36-46.
- Ostergard, J. and Andrade, S. Who pre-drinks before a night out and why? J Sub Use, 19(3), 229-238.

Footnotes

1 Victorian Comm for Gamb and Liquor Reg Dangers of pre-loading on alcohol. State of Victoria website.

2 Hughes K, et al. Alcohol, nightlife and violence. Addict, 103, 60–65. Labhart, F., et al. Drinking before going to licensed premises. An analysis of predrinking. Alco Clin Exper Res, 37(2), 284-291.

3 Boyle, A. Alcohol-related emergency department attendances. Is preloading a risk factor? Inter J Emerg Med, 3(3), 151–155.

4 Hughes, op cit.

5 Labhart, op cit.

6 Boyle, op cit., Hughes, op cit.