Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Take A Deep Breath

~
You've probably seen and maybe used beer bongs. You have probably witnessed and perhaps have partaken of belly shots. It seems that inevitably, there is a new creative way to ingest alcohol. What ever happened to glasses and mugs? Hasn't anyone lately tried drinking straight from the bottle or the can?
~ Just when you thought it was safe from experimenting with new ways to imbibe, lo and behold someone comes out with AWOL! Now you can try inhaling your spirit of choice. That's right, I said inhaling.!
~ The AWOL (Alcohol Without Liquid) is a machine that vaporizes liquor or beer into a breathable mist. Spirit Partners, Ltd., the company manufacturing it hails it as the "ultimate party toy." Originating in England, leave it to the Limeys, the device looks like a crack pipe attached to a hookah. The company says it delivers a buzz with fewer calories.
~ As health conscious as a lot of Americans are, the AWOL appears to be a potential gold mine. Don't plan your parties yet. So far only a few hundred have been sold on this side of the Big Pond. Lawmakers from New York to Alabama are trying to shut it down. They are considering legislating bills to ban or at least to regulate the machine. A U.S. Representative from Colorado introduced legislation to subject the AWOL to FDA scrutiny.
~ One bar owner, Steve Baskinger of New Jersey, bought one of the devices but quickly returned it. He said that the lawmakers are wasting their time. "It didn't do anything except burn our throats," he said. "The biggest high you get is from hyperventilating...Wouldn't you rather just do shots with your friends?"
~ Perhaps the manufacturer should have left the acronym within the military ranks. Maybe AWAY would have worked better when they decided to export it to the states; Alcohol Without A Yank!
~
No. 146
>Counter<

No comments: