Dangers associated with teens who 'smoke alcohol'


by KING 5 News


Posted on September 6, 2013 at 4:45 PM

Updated Friday, Sep 6 at 4:45 PM

In a dangerous new trend to get drunk, teens are now smoking alcohol thinking they won't be caught. Experts say it could kill them though.

Young people are turning their dorms and basements into labs for a quick buzz.

"It immediately gets into the blood stream and from the blood stream goes to the brain. So it does happen very, very quickly," said Dr. Timothy Dougherty, a toxicologist.

With how-to videos on the web word is getting around quickly, which worries doctors.

"There's not studies. We don't know what the long term affect on this and that's the scary part," Dougherty said.

We're not going to tell you how kids are doing it, but their reasons are unfounded. Some thing inhaling vapors will avoid a DUI charge.

Others think they can avoid the calories.

Neither is true, but inhaling alcohol vapors will trick the brain and that's a bad thing.

"Whey they're smoking the alcohol it's not hitting their digestive system, so they're not getting an early warning sign that says 'you had too much,'" said Syndi Bultman, injury prevention specialist.

This is a toxic trend doctors want to stop before the fad gets out of hand.

Even though teens refer to the practice as "smoking alcohol" no flame is involved.