Alcohol industry fights back...

[Troubleshooter]

...against the buzz.

http://www.reason.com/hitandrun/

Better Than Synthahol?

In a 1998 interview with ABC's John Stossel, Thomas Constantine, then head of the DEA, explained that illegal drugs are different from alcohol because people use them "for a single purpose...the purpose of becoming high," which is "wrong" and "dangerous." Stossel confessed that "when I have a glass of gin or vodka, I'm doing it to get a little buzz on. That buzz is bad?"

Of course that buzz is bad, and no one knows it better than the liquor industry, as illustrated by its response to a nifty new device known as AWOL (for "Alcohol Without Liquid") that allows you to inhale your gin or vodka instead of drinking it. This low-calorie, (reportedly) hangover-free alternative to conventional booze consumption has not attracted much of a following in the U.S. yet. But it has provoked concern from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), which is pushing legislation in Florida and elsewhere to ban it.

AWOL's divorce of alcohol from drinking "would strongly suggest that the purpose of this device is to get a buzz," says DISCUS President Peter Cressy with horror. "We don't think getting a buzz is a good idea....It gave us grave concern that it was marketed as the 'ultimate party tool' and reducing hangovers....Our trade association has long been a leader in fighting abuse of our products."

In its defense, AWOL USA says its vaporizer "has a built-in safety device because it takes about 20 minutes to inhale one vaporizer shot of alcohol (about 1/2 actual shot size)." The company also quotes a British Health Department official's statement that "we are not aware of any current evidence to suggest that use of the AWOL machine in accordance with the advice and instructions poses particular risks to the user over and above the risks that may be posed by consuming an equivalent amount of alcohol in an equivalent time period in a more traditional way."

I suspect the distillers' purported safety concerns are a cover for their discomfort in seeing their products consumed in a manner reminiscent of marijuana and opium. By bringing to the fore liquor's psychoactive properties, AWOL might even cause people to question Thomas Constantine's explanation for why alcohol is morally superior to illegal intoxicants.

[xoxoxoBruce]

All they have to do if come up with independant studies showing AWOL causes loss of libido.

[busterb]

The laywers have been after the smoking & drug companys for awhile, but never the beer makers or whiskey. Why?

[cowhead]

they are too entrenched in the political system, and well... alcohol is too much a part of our culture to go after. although I think this whole vaporized alcohol is kinda funny.. I wonder if there will be a war on booze (again)

[wolf]

I don't think I would bother with dehydrated booze. I drink for flavor, not for effect.

Except at Forks.

[jaguar]

...........have people never heard of putting vodka in the microwave over there?

[glatt]

Tell us more, Jag.

[jaguar]

does it really require instructions? Alcohol has a lower boiling point than water.

[glatt]

Sure. That part is obvious. But how do you inhale it if you are outside the microwave, and the alcohol is inside the microwave?

If you don't want to be posting instructions on the internet where kids can find them, I understand. I'm just curious.

I've never made a potato cannon, but it's cool to read instructions on them.

[russotto]

I imagine DISCUSs real complaint is that there's no point in buying good liquor to inhale, and it takes less of it, so their members stand to lose money if the device catches on.

[Beestie]

microwave? That's real smart - releasing highly flammable vapor into the guts of an electrical device. All you need is one of those atomizing misters they sell at the discovery store. Drop it in a glass full of alcohol and a cool mist is created that just sits there until disturbed by an air current -or- in this case, a giant sucking sound.

When I get a head cold, I put half water and half alcohol (any brand/type) into one of those Vicks steamers and breath in the vapor to kill all the germs in my sinuses. But DAMN that hurts - worse than eating a big glob of horseradish.

[jaguar]

But how do you inhale it if you are outside the microwave, and the alcohol is inside the microwave?

Initial problems were severe but the recent development of doors assisted greatly. Micorowave on high, open door, deep breath, fall down. Fairly straightforward. No, not for a long time, far more amusing ways to knock myself out these days. Beestie, you're looking at a *very* high humidity environment in a device designed to operate with +90% humidity, there aren't exactly about to be exposed shorting contacts for starters and even if there were I doubt it'd ignite, concentration wouldn't be high enough.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Beestie

microwave? That's real smart - releasing highly flammable vapor into the guts of an electrical device.

Microwave walls are solid, and microwaves turn off when the door is opened, so I think you're OK there.

[Beestie]

My microwave walls have three different vents in them - besides, when alcohol boils and vaporizes, it creates pressure inside the unit so the alcohol vapor is bound to find its way inside the unit itself. Maybe I don't get it but I think the risk is when the alcohol is boiling (while the unit is running) and not after the door is opened. Not to mention that pure alcohol is a fairly powerful solvent which, over time, can corrode things inside the unit which could increase the likelihood of a future "event."

The safe way to vaporize alcohol is to put it in a pyrex (or similar) measuring cup and put the cup in a pot of water and boil the water. Putting a steamer tray in the bottom of the pot and resting the cup on that is even safer. The water should be at least as high as the alcohol level in the cup.

[wolf]

I take it that you should declare the kitchen as a no smoking zone while you're doing this, whether it's on the stove or with a nuke-a-matic? And what if you have a gas range?