Alcohol Without Liquid (AWOL) is a process introduced first in Asia and Europe that allows people to take in liquor without actually consuming liquid. The machine vaporizes alcohol and mixes it with oxygen, allowing the consumer to breathe in the mixture. The machine has been dubbed AWOL, a play on the military term AWOL, Absent Without Leave. The AWOL machine produces a very fine alcoholic mist. The continual intake of this mist over a 20 minute period is the equivalent of taking one shot of hard liquor. The machine is set to debut in America in August of 2004. It is already facing opposition from interest groups fighting against underage drinking and drunk driving.

The machine is currently being sold for $3500. The marketers say it produces a "Euphoric High" and the effects of alcohol consumption without the high calories, carbs, and hangovers associated with common consumption. Hangovers are prevented due to the fact that the alcohol is delivered with oxygen to the brain. Vaporized alcohol also enters the bloodstream faster and its effects are more immediate than its liquid counterparts. Marketers encourage patrons to use the machine no more than twice in a 24 hour period to avoid overconsumption, as this may be dangerous.

External Links

• 1010 WINS news article
• AWOL machine