By Melissa Ballagh, The Collegiate Times (Virginia Tech)

(U-Wire) BLACKSBURG, Va. – RU-21, a pill said to reduce the effects of alcohol on the body, is not effective on those who choose to drink heavily.

Emil Chiaberi, chief operating officer for Spirit Sciences USA Inc. – the company that distributes the pill – warned that RU-21 is not a miracle pill or a cure and it only works with moderate alcohol consumption.

“It’s not a license to binge drink,” Chiaberi said.

Chiaberi said RU-21 is not even meant for most drinkers. The pill helps most with people who have problems digesting as little as one or two drinks.

Many critics worry RU-21 will encourage people to drink more. According to Chiaberi, Spirit Sciences studied all of the pill’s possible effects, including whether or not it made people drink more.

“I never heard of any side effects and never heard of anyone changing their drinking habits,” Chiaberi said.

The Director of the College Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center Steve Clarke agreed has never heard of hangover pills causing people to drink more.

Chiaberi said he has also never seen any studies saying hangovers are a deterrent to drinking. In many cases, people drink more to keep from feeling the effects of the hangover.

To keep people from abusing RU-21, Chiaberi said he refused all offers to sell it at colleges or college-related events. RU-21 as a natural supplement, is instead sold in health stores where people can learn about alcohol metabolism and how RU-21 can help.

Modern technology, however, has made hangover pills like RU-21 easier to get. Though not sold locally at stores like CVS or Annie Kay’s, students can search the Internet for sites that sell RU-21.

RU-21 is not the first pill used for hangovers. According to Clarke, most hangover pills contain either caffeine or ginseng. They do little more than treat hangover symptoms or act as stimulants.

“What it does is mask the hangover effects,” Clarke said.

Though RU-21 works though a different formula, Clarke saw no indication the pill would work any better than the others.

He said students should be wary of RU-21 if they consider buying it.

RU-21 breaks down acetaldehyde, which helps people metabolize alcohol more easily and helps prevents harmful effects on the body.

The pill, taken while consuming alcohol, also reduces hangovers.

Also called the KGB pill, RU-21 was originally developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russian spies used to pill to stay sober when they needed to drink on assignment.

Most Virginia Tech students are not aware of the new hangover pill.

To fight hangovers, they either sleep off the effects or use products to alleviate symptoms like headaches.

Many are intrigued by the idea of a pill that would either reduce or prevent the worst of a hangover.

Though some said they would try RU-21 if a friend offered it to them, few would buy it themselves.

“If you’re going to do something, you should be able to deal with the aftermath,” said freshman business information technology student Sarah Alston.

For Students eager to avoid the nasty effects of alcohol, Clarke suggested a cheaper and more effective remedy.

Since most hangover effects are due to dehydration, Clarke said lots of water should help students feel better.

“It’s the only way I know of to ameliorate the effects of alcohol that works,” Clarke said.