The Government of the Student Body voted Wednesday to adopt a nationwide campaign against binge drinking in an effort to remind ISU students that irresponsible drinking can kill more than just a good time.

GSB voted 23-2-4 to allocate $823.50 from the senate discretionary account for the program, which “will be very helpful and very affordable for the university to implement,” said GSB President Andy Tofilon.

Under the Be Responsible About Drinking program, or B.R.A.D. 21, students will receive a card shortly before their 21st birthday outlining the dangers of binge drinking and how to drink responsibly. The card also will include a wallet insert with information about alcohol poisoning and its effects, Tofilon said.

B.R.A.D. 21 was founded by the parents of former Michigan State student Bradley McCue, who died of alcohol poisoning after consuming 24 shots in one and a half hours on his 21st birthday Nov. 5, 1998.

The mission of the B.R.A.D. 21 program is to “impart information that will encourage and enable responsible decision making concerning alcohol,” according to the organization’s Web site, www.brad21.org.

GSB worked with Interfraternity Council President Andrew Wrightsman, who heard about the program at the MidAmerican Greek Council Association.

Wrightsman, junior in management information systems, said results from a B.R.A.D. program conducted at Michigan State University reported that two-thirds of the students consumed alcohol in a more responsible manner on their birthday, and one-third drank less alcohol than they would have otherwise.

“One of the most interesting statistics is that three-fourths of all respondents reported they thought about the cards message when celebrating their birthday,” he said.

According to the B.R.A.D. 21 Web site, 36 universities in 16 states send the cards to students on their birthdays. Tofilon said he is pleased the senate took action to add Iowa State to the list.

“Drew [Wrightsman] and I did not start this project to gain popularity,” he said. “We did it because we really feel it could save lives. This is exactly the kind of thing GSB should be doing, something that affects students. We need to seek out things that can better the Iowa State community.”