After recent incidents at the University of Tennessee, the topic of alcohol enemas has been discussed at universities across the country. Local experts and officials are warning students that the effects and long-term side effects are very harmful to the body. 

Oftentimes students take beer funnel bongs, insert them rectally and pour alcohol in. This process takes the alcohol into the rectum and the body absorbs the alcohol at potentially lethal levels, officials said. 

UNA police Chief Bob Pastula believes this is a recent issue. He said there have not been any cases reported to the university police department yet. 

According to a student who wishes to remain anonymous because of the stigma associated with the act, it does happen within UNA’s student body. He said he and some friends performed the act over summer. The student said he was drunk when some friends told him to do it. 

He said he used a beer bong funnel to create an alcohol enema with beer. 

“I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the effect,” the student said. “I was already drunk and there wasn’t really enough to enjoy.”

According to experts this is a serious subject. University Health Services Director Kyrel Buchanan said she agrees with experts who have called this practice extremely dangerous. 

“It can rapidly elevate blood alcohol levels to not only illegal but perhaps fatal levels,” Buchanan said. 

Though this act is potentially fatal, Pastula said there is nothing illegal about it. He said there are no laws prohibiting creating or using an alcohol enema.

“It was a (neutral) experience I guess,” said the student. “It didn’t have disadvantages or advantages. It’s just a story to tell.”

Though the student did not have a negative experience, he said he would not do an alcohol enema again. He said he believes if he had done more alcohol or used liquor it would have been more dangerous. 

“This was nothing to the extent of the Tennessee incident,” said the student.

Students have heard stories that the alcohol enemas will cause quicker intoxication, but most are unwilling to try it, said UNA student Roger Good. He said he heard about a guy from another school that tried it, but he wouldn’t do it. 

UNA student David McCreary said the alcohol enemas are stupid for students to do. 

“It’s not funny when you die,” McCreary said. “You can get killed doing that.” 

When consuming alcohol rectally, the body is not able to filter the alcohol, officials said. The high blood alcohol levels can lead to long-term effects as well as short-term. 

Nurse practitioner Melissa Ward said the absorption rate is magnified if alcohol is absorbed rectally rather than orally. 

She said the risk of getting alcohol poisoning is increased. Alcohol poisoning could lead to organ damage or brain damage, Ward said. 

The alcohol is not the only dangerous factor, because anytime someone inserts something rectally that person is taking the risk of bleeding and rectal damage, Ward warns. 

“Alcohol enemas could potentially cause sepsis, which is an infection throughout the body,” Ward said.   

The level of intoxication obtained through an alcohol enema along with the damage to the body is a clear description of how harmful alcohol enemas can be. 

“This is an extremely unsafe practice and I highly discourage anyone from engaging in this behavior,” Buchanan said.