A fad that faded away a decade ago is making a comeback. Vaping alcohol or inhaling alcohol is very risky to a person's health. Even though many states banned the use of alcohol inhaling machines, teens and young adults are making their own machines and inhaling alcohol. One doctor said, it is like a drinking binge in a minute.
Vaping alcohol has become popular once again mainly among teenagers, college students and young adults, which is causing concern with parents and doctors. Vaping alcohol is not the same as drinking alcohol and can be dangerous to a person's health.
Vaping Alcohol Explained
In 2004, a machine called the Alcohol Without Liquid (AWOL) machine was invented that allowed alcohol to be vaporized and inhaled. Soon after its invention, alcohol inhaling devices were banned in many states and the fad soon ended. Today, new ways of inhaling alcohol have emerged including a new alcohol inhaling machine known as the Vaportini.
There are several ways to inhale alcohol or smoke alcohol without the use of a machine. One method is to pour the alcohol over dry ice and inhale the fumes through a straw. Another popular method is to use a bicycle pump and a plastic bottle.
The Difference between Drinking Alcohol and Vaping Alcohol
When a person drinks alcohol, it enters the small intestine and stomach where it is absorbed. Approximately 80% of the alcohol is absorbed in the small intestine and 20% is absorbed in the stomach. The alcohol then enters the bloodstream and is carried throughout the body including the brain and the liver.
Alcohol is metabolized or processed by the liver. The liver can metabolize or process one drink per hour. One drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor (a normal shot).
Drinking alcohol faster than the liver can process it is when a person starts to become noticeably drunk. The body will try and get rid of the excess alcohol through urination, sweating and finally throwing up. Throwing up is a protective function of our body and our body's way of getting the alcohol out; otherwise a person could get alcohol poisoning, which can lead to death.
The Health Risks of Vaping Alcohol
Binge drinking is when a person drinks a lot of alcohol in a short amount of time. According to the Centers for Disease Control, binge drinking is defined as 5 drinks in two hours for men and 4 drinks in two hours for women. Binge drinking can cause alcohol poisoning which include symptoms of unconsciousness and coma and can lead to death.
When a person vapes alcohol, the alcohol bypasses the intestines and liver, so the alcohol is not processed and metabolized as normal. The alcohol gets into the bloodstream and the brain much faster than when a person drinks alcohol.
Some of the potential health risks of vaping alcohol include:
When a person vapes alcohol, the alcohol bypasses the intestines and liver, so the alcohol is not processed and metabolized as normal. The alcohol gets into the bloodstream and the brain much faster than when a person drinks alcohol.
Some of the potential health risks of vaping alcohol include:
- The alcohol's effects will be felt much quicker than drinking alcohol.
- A person might not know exactly how much alcohol they are getting at one time.
- A higher risk of a person getting alcohol poisoning quickly.
- Depressing the respiratory system and breathing.
- Injuring the nasal passages and lungs, especially when inhaling dry ice.
- A risk of viral or bacterial meningitis through the sharing of a straw.
Conclusion
Vaping alcohol might sound like an easier and quicker way to get drunk, but inhaling alcohol can be dangerous to your health and it is not smart to bypass our body's protective functions. vaping alcohol will not hide the fact you are drunk and your body's alcohol content will still show up on a breathalyzer test.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
