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angovers have plagued us since at least biblical times, but a spate of new remedies available at city drugstores promises to banish them for good. One, called Chaser for Wine Headaches, claims to squelch the pain associated with an exuberant evening of wine drinking; others, like RU-21, purport to prevent the all-around ennui that results from a particularly vengeful night on the town. And a new study published last month in Archives of Internal
Medicine suggests that there may be some scientific validity to at least one brand's boasts. "As both a drunk and a saloon keeper, I think it's the greatest thing since chopped liver," laughs Jeremy Holin of Jeremy's Ale House, the South Street Seaport watering hole that sells its Eye Opener Special, a $1.75 32-ounce Styrofoam bucket of Coors available from when it opens at 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. He calls the pills "God's gift to the working man." Holin, who has yet to try the new
remedies, has offered to conduct an unofficial experiment at his bar. One brand Holin might consider testing is Chaser, a pill made from charcoal and calcium carbonate that works by absorbing congeners, the impurities in alcohol that impart character and flavor. A competitor, RU-21, promises to stop hangovers by metabolizing alcohol and its by-product acetaldehyde. Both products claim terrific results, cost around $7 for about two evenings' worth, and require you to take an initial dose with
your first drink, followed by a succession of pills. Neither brand interferes with the immediate effects of alcohol—meaning you'll still get drunk if you toss back enough stiff ones. Which may explain why Esquire's cocktail writer, David Wondrich, was presented with a package of RU-21 by a "guy who was shockingly hammered" at a Bon Appétit party earlier this year. Wondrich has yet to take the pills. "He didn't exactly inspire me," explains the professional barfly. Another
acquaintance recently tried Chaser at a birthday bash after he was handed a free sample near the Astor Place cube. Given that the pills now line the shelves and checkout counters of most city drugstores, it's not surprising that they're popping up at parties around town. Still, many drinkers the Voice spoke to seemed reticent to try either brand. Some cited the effort involved in swallowing so many pills: Chaser requires a minimum of two (but you'll probably need more). RU-21 instructs
you to take a pill with every drink. "It might work if they were shaped like pretzels," laughs Jimmy Duff, co-owner of Bellevue Bar, a heavy-metal dive in Hell's Kitchen where, before the smoking ban, the matchbooks used to quote Ozzy Osbourne: "Sobriety f***ing sucks." The pills also require forethought. People don't set out to get soused, especially if they have work or some other pressing obligation come morning. Taking the pills becomes some kind of
admission that you lack control. "If you're monitoring something that closely," says celebrated mixologist Audrey Saunders of Bemelmans Bar, "then maybe you have a bigger problem than just a hangover." Read the Full Story in The Village Voice
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