Kids get themselves into all sorts of trouble these days — breaking the law, trying drugs and now, smoking alcohol.
Inhaling alcohol seems to be the new trend catching on with teenagers and young adults, who have been posting videos of themselves on Youtube inhaling the alcoholic fumes instead of drinking the liquid.
By doing so, the drinker supposedly avoids the high caloric intake that comes with alcohol consumption as it bypasses the liver and instead enters directly into the lungs, bloodstream and then the brain.
Inhaling the fumes causes the user to get drunk at a much faster rate than typical consumption, an effect which is concerning to many doctors.
“The danger mainly is that it leads to rapid intoxication in the sense that you don’t know you’re getting drunk that fast,” Dr. Robert Glatter told Philadelphia’s NBC 10. “When people drink, the normal sensation as they get more and more drunk is to vomit. It’s your body’s way of expelling alcohol. However, your brain can’t expel alcohol, so it’s extremely dangerous.”
Also causing a great deal of concern is how easily accessible the how-to process of smoking alcohol is to kids. More and more videos are popping up on Youtube explaining how to make the alcoholic vapor.
There is even a special type of glassware called the “Vaportini”, which was made specifically for inhaling alcohol. Its website calls the vessel “a revolutionary new way of consuming alcohol.”
Despite the dangers surrounding smoking alcohol, Vaportini’s inventor, Julie Palmer, told NBC 4 New York her product is not intended for binge consumption.
“Vaportini is not about getting drunk as fast as you can. It is about enjoying alcohol in a new way,” she said.
Smoking alcohol may just be another fad that will fade away quickly, but the dangers are serious.
