Did you know that some people are smoking or vaping alcohol instead of taking it the usual way? The process explained by Vaping suppliers is, warming the alcohol, then inhaling its steam; others pour it on dry ice, then inhale the vapors.
There are not many studies on smoking alcohol for leisure, however, many factors show that vaping ethanol is unsafe and can be life-threatening. It can pose serious health problems, such as lung damage and poisoning.
How Does Smoking Alcohol Affect the Human Body?
When a person inhales alcohol steam, the body absorbs it through the lungs and detours it to the digestive system. Then, alcohol molecules get to the blood vessels and brain. These events cause a person to feel “high” within a short period after vaping alcohol.
Here are some effects that vaping alcohol can do to your body:
Alcohol Poisoning. This occurs when you take more alcohol than your system can take, resulting in blood toxicity. Call your community emergency services or 911 if you observe yourself or a loved one having the symptoms below:
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Paleness
- Seizures
- Hypothermia
- Shortness of Breath
- Loss of Consciousness
Lung Damage. Inhaling vapors can irritate your lungs and can progress to breathing problems, even lung infections. Nevertheless, at present, research on the consequences of vaping is still limited.
Alcohol Addiction. Studies show that there’s a direct relationship between the rate a substance reaches your brain and addiction. So, the faster alcohol gets to your brain, the more you are prone to addiction. Despite that, research is still lacking to know how habit-forming alcohol smoking can be.
Brain Damage. When alcohol binds rapidly to your brain, it can cause changes to your brain. This can be particularly true for teens and kids since their brains are still developing.
What Do Studies Say?
Studies on the impact of alcohol fumes on the health of humans focus on the workplace (e.g., effects of smelling vapors from sanitizers)
Presently, there are no studies on smoking alcohol for leisure. Nevertheless, studies on rats show some concerning results:
- Rats showed anxiety after exposure.
- Alcohol vapors made rats become alcohol dependent. They were behaving in a way that made them seek alcohol after long-term exposure to vapors.
- Rats showed serious withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, anxiety, tremors, and seizures.
Is Smoking Alcohol Legal?
In the U.S., consuming alcohol by vaping or drinking is illegal if you are 20 years old and below. Note that laws may differ from one state to another, so it’s necessary to check laws before taking alcohol.
Moreover, it is prohibited to drive while drunk. Additionally, it is illegal to sell, buy, or use devices designed to vape alcohol in more than 20 states.
Regardless of the way you take in alcohol, having too much can be dangerous for your health. It can be life-threatening, especially when your body gets large amounts of alcohol within a short period, placing you at risk for poisoning.
So, if you are fond of alcohol, it’s best to do it the traditional way.