Neknominate drinking craze sweeps the Internet

Neknominate, an online drinking game, requires participants to film and upload footage of themselves 'necking' (downing) alcohol before nominating others to exceed their consumption.

A potentially dangerous Australian drinking trend is sweeping the internet, attracting attention from medical authorities.

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Neknominate is an online drinking game in which participants film and upload footage of themselves 'necking' (downing) alcohol before nominating others to exceed their consumption.

The craze began in Australia early this month but has quickly become a global trend, with the Facebook site The Best Neknominate Video's (sic) attracting 190,000 likes since its launch on January 7.

Clips show people carrying out precarious stunts such as drinking while driving motorbikes and jumping out of helicopters.

In the UK, one participant was even filmed downing a pint of vodka after biting off a dead chicken's head.

Professor Michael Farrell, director of the University of New South Wales' National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the game could be potentially dangerous.

"In general it looks like it could get people into a lot of trouble, with a lot of pressure to drinking, and that tends to end up with people coming to serious grief through alcohol poisoning."," he said.