As the name would suggest, there is a new craze hitting the liquor industry called vaporized alcohol that involves converting your favorite drinks into gas form and inhaling it rather than drinking it. Though the handful of devices that have now been approved in the United States for use are rather new, the concept of vaporizing alcohol is actually quite old. There are many sides to the argument of whether vaporizing alcohol is safe or not for humans, and each side has their merits.
While the companies who manufacture these devices have a host of scientific data to back up the fact that it is no different to the human body than traditional consumption, opponents cite that teenagers could easily abuse this new form of alcohol; particularly since it doesn’t give off the normal odor. Whether you’re for or against this new technology, here are a few variations of alcohol vaporizers as well as some safety information for you to mull over before you decide to try it for yourself.
Vapshot Vaporized Alcohol System
Probably the fanciest and most expensive system on the market is called the Vapshot Vaporized Alcohol System. It comes in two different sizes, the Vapshot and the Vapshot Mini, for both commercial and home use. The systems works quite easily, you simply fill the reusable plastic bottles with alcohol vapor created by the Vapshot machine and put the cap on it. When you or your customer opens the bottle, it makes a “pop” sound just like prying the cork off a bottle of wine or champagne, and a straw can be inserted into the bottle to take inhalations of the vapor. The Vapshot system is completely crowd-funded, so they are only scratching the surface of possibilities with vaporized alcohol.
The Vaportini System
Though the end result is roughly the same, the Vaportini system uses a much different method to vaporize the alcohol. Instead of a large machine that takes care of everything for you, the Vaportini uses a small votive candle placed inside a specially designed base to heat up your alcohol inside a glass sphere. Once the alcohol is in gas form, you can simply inhale it through the galls straw. This design may seem a little less sophisticated and isn’t quite as efficient as the Vapshot system, but at around 1/20th of the price, the Vaportini is sure to find its place in the vaporized alcohol systems market.
The Pros and Cons
Proponents of vaporized alcohol systems state that the vapors contained in a 1 liter serving bottle or glass sphere are 100% alcohol and are less than or equivalent to 1/60th of a normal sized shot of alcohol. The major benefit is that you get instant absorption; meaning you get that immediate “buzzed” feeling but it wears off quickly and within 5 minutes your BAC is back down to zero. This means that you can enjoy the effects of alcohol throughout the night and still be able to drive home safely and legally without needing to wait several hours until you’re sobered up.
Opponents of vaporized alcohol systems cite the many dangers of possible abuse; particularly in young adults. Since there is no perceivable odor with vaporized alcohol, similar to the odorless powdered alcohol, some people fear that underage persons could get away with abusing alcohol undetected. Additionally, until more research has been done, there is no conclusive evidence that vaporized alcohol is safe to use on a long term basis. Though all of the current research has been favorable to the industry and shows that it is just as safe as traditional consumption, it can take several years of research to know all of the effects.
Whether you are for or against the use of vaporized alcohol, it is definitely hitting the market with a vengeance. Vapshot systems are turning up at all sorts of bars and nightclubs, and new companies are coming out with their own versions of the vaporizer systems in the months ahead. One thing’s for sure; vaporized alcohol systems are definitely here to stay regardless of the possible health risks.
