New ‘vapour alcohol’ controversy

A new gadget that allows users to vapourise their spirits and consume alcohol through their lungs has been met with condemnation from health experts worried at the ease with which it can be abused.

The $700 (£410) counter-top machine pressurises liquids to the point that they become gaseous, allowing spirits to be breathed in through a straw and give “an instant buzz” according to the company website.

However, health experts have warned the machine , and ‘inhaled’ alcohols in general, are far riskier than traditional drinks.

The technique causes alcohol to be ingested directly to the bloodstream through the lungs, bypassing the digestive system altogether and potentially causing dangerous levels of intoxication – especially if abused.

The Daily Mail reports criticisms from various health experts. 

“It is ill advised for experimentation among those under 21,” said Dr. Thomas Greenfield, Center Director at the National Alcohol Research Center in Emeryville, California.

“There could be inexperienced people at parties under peer pressure who may find themselves using this method of alcohol consumption.

“It might not be possible to self-regulate their consumption and teenagers just like adults can be drunk drivers too,” he said.

However, the firm does attempt to address the safety concerns on its site.

It says: “Because Vapshot is served in a regulated per serving size, it is possible to quantify the levels of intoxication and levels of acceptable ethyl alcohol in the lungs, which are both significantly lower than consumption of a traditional liquid shot or mixed drink.”

The firm also makes a commercial version of the Vapshot machine, which is designed for high-volume use and can apparently serve up to 720 shots per hour.