A video has emerged on social media showing the man drinking the entire bottle in a matter of seconds as part of a 'Nek Nominate' drinking game craze sweeping Australasia.
The footage, posted on the Ashburton Nek Nomination Facebook page, shows a young man cracking open a new Jagermeister bottle - 35 per cent alcohol and around $100 for a 1.75 litre bottle - and consuming it all in one go through a funnel.
Nek Nominate is a new social media-based drinking game where someone downs a drink in one go and then nominates two friends to do the same.
Paul Rout, chief executive of the Alcohol Drug Association New Zealand, said downing large amounts of alcohol puts people at risk.
"Downing high alcohol content drinks in large amounts, in one binge, is very dangerous," he said.
"If you take large amounts of this drug it could start to shut down your central nervous system, you could go unconscious, choke on your own vomit, you could definitely end up in hospital, or you could end up dead.
"It's very, very risky behaviour."
He said encouraging friends to take part in the game was irresponsible.
"The problem with the Nek Nominate site is it's pushing and encouraging people to skull drinks, which is not a good way to stay safe," he said.
"Nek Nominate is about having fun with your mates, but often you're putting them at risk. If you really care for your mates then you won't be promoting this."
Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drug Service manager Chris Clark was appalled by the page.
"I just can't believe that anyone would think that was funny. Things like that actually kill people," she said.
"It's just ridiculous. It's people putting themselves in real risk of harm. There's no way that people should be condoning or encouraging acts like this."
The Nek Nominate game has already caused controversy in New Zealand after footage of All Black Steven Luatua pouring beer into the mouth of an unidentified man was posted online.
Footage of a 6-year-old boy downing the contents of a beer bottle emerged shortly afterwards. The boy's sister, who posted the video, said the bottle contained fizzy juice, not beer.
* If you have concerns about your alcohol consumption, or of those around you, contact the ADANZ helpline on 0800 787 797 *
- By Erin Tasker of the Ashburton Guardian and Patrice Dougan of APNZ
