Alternative use of alcohols
Alcohol is one of the most common psychoactive substances in the world. This page is intended to inspire people to think differently about alcohol.
Substituted alcohols
Substituted alcohols, which include some depressants and euphoriants, are derivatives of ethanol. Most alcohols are significantly more potent than ethanol (e.g. 2M2B requires 20 times lower dose), which provides minimal energy intake.
Tertiary alcohols
Some tertiary alcohols with historical medical use have been used as ethyl alcohol substitutes, as they are not metabolized into toxic aldehydes like acetaldehyde.
- 2M2B - Found in trace quantities in alcoholic beverages, especially cassava fermented. 20 times more potent than ethanol. 2M2B have, despite being 20 x more potent than EtOH, a therapeutic index of 2.8 that of ethanol (potency compared to EtOH/(EtOH LD50/t-AmOH LD50[1] ratio) = 20/(7060/1000) = 2.8) oral in rat.
- Ethchlorvynol - During their heyday, they were known on the street as "jelly-bellies" or "pickles".
- Methylpentynol
- UMB68 - similar in structure to GHB.
Legality
Alcohols other than ethanol are not taxed by the federal government via excise taxes.
Polysubstance use
Caffeinated alcohol
See also: List of caffeinated alcoholic drinks (Wikipedia)
Caffeinated alcoholic drinks combine alcohol, caffeine, and the ingredients of energy drinks into one drink. In 2010 and 2011, this type of beverage faced criticism for posing health risks to their drinkers. Alcohol and caffeine are both psychoactive drugs, drugs that are mixed are referred to as poly drug use. As a response, the US Food and Drug Administration introduced a caffeinated alcohol drinks ban.
Coca wine
Coca wine is an alcoholic beverage combining wine with cocaine. One popular brand was Vin Mariani, developed in 1863 by French-Corsican chemist and entrepreneur Angelo Mariani.[2]
Cocaine and ethanol forms cocaethylene which is more toxic than cocaine or ethanol when used separately.
Nicotini
A nicotini is any alcoholic drink which includes nicotine as an ingredient. Its name is modeled after the word "martini" in the fashion of such drinks as the appletini. In places which ban smoking, use of the nicotini provides those addicted to nicotine with the opportunity to manage cravings without stepping outside to smoke.
Tincture
A tincture is typically an alcoholic extract of plant or animal material or solution. Example, cannabis tincture.
To qualify as an alcoholic tincture, the extract should have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60% or 80-120 proof. Sometimes even a 90% or 180 proof tincture is achieved.[3]
Alternative fermentation
Amylase induced fermentation
For more information, see: [1]
Saliva can be used as a source of the enzyme amylase to break down complex sugars into simple sugars. These simple sugars can then undergo fermentation by microorganisms. Amylase-induced fermented drinks are often made from cassava.
Edible mushroom fermentation
- Wine can be made by using mushroom fruit bodies instead of microorganisms like Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Pleurotus ostreatus have been demonstrated to produce 12.2% ABV, and Agaricus blazei 8% ABV. It seems to be a functional food which can be expected to have preventive effects against cancer and thrombosis.[4]
Alcohol state of matter
- Solid: Alcohol powder made by molecular encapsulated alcohol, usually with cyclodextrin. When reconstituted with water, alcohol (specifically ethanol) in powder form becomes an alcoholic drink. Marketed products includes Palcohol (US), Booz2go (Netherlands), Subyou (Germany).
- Liquid: This is the normal state of matter for most alcohols. A unique exception being tert-Butyl alcohol which tends to be a solid at room temperature, with a melting point slightly above 25 °C.
- Gas: Alcohol mist can be formed with a nebulizer for inhalation.
Routes of administration
Inhalation
Alcohol inhalation or "alcohol smoking" uses various techniques to vaporize or nebulize liquid alcohol into a gaseous state (vapor) or aerosol (mist) for inhalation. Also, alcohol powder that is molecularly encapsulated with cyclodextrin can be used with a nebulizer[6] for easier inhalation into the lungs than the ordinarily harsh vapors.
Alcohol inhalation originally emerged in 2004 with the invention of a machine called the AWOL (Alcohol without Liquid), allowing individuals to evaporate alcohol. The techniques involve using pumps or dry ice.[7]
Injection
Intravenously
Intravenous ethanol is short-acting and not described as being "fun", but can be extremely dangerous and even deadly, if taken in large amounts. One of the tertiary alcohols, ethchlorvynol, is not compatible with intravenous injection and serious injury or death can occur when it is used in this manner[8]
Medically
Ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning are treated with fomepizole, or ethanol (that will compete with them) when fomepizole is not available.
Pharmaceutical grade ethanol (rectified spirit) diluted 5–10% in 5% dextrose is usually given intravenously as an ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning treatment.[9][10] 600-800 mg/kg ethanol from a 5–10% alcohol by volume solution is given as a loading dose over 30 minutes, followed by a maintenance doses that are increased for people with ethanol tolerance, and further increased for people who are receiving dialysis.[11]
However, sometimes ethanol is given orally in the form of distilled beverages such as whiskey, vodka, or gin for ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning treatment when no pharmaceutical ethanol solutions are available.[9] In one case, doctors saved a poisoned tourist using a vodka drip.[12]
Ocular
Vodka eyeballing is the practice of consuming vodkas by pouring it into the eye sockets, where it is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the region into the bloodstream. It is a fad that started in 2010. Alcohol is only delivered in minute quantities via ocular administration, so it doesn't cause any psychoactive effect, but it can cause eye injuries.
Rectal
An alcohol enema, colloquially known as butt-chugging, is the act of introducing alcohol into the rectum and colon via the anus. This method of alcohol consumption is dangerous because it leads to faster intoxication, since the alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and neutralizes the body's ability to reject the toxin by vomiting.
Vaginal
Teens have been known to use vodka-soaked tampons to get drunk.[13]
See also
References
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13028241/
- ↑ "Coca Wine". cocaine.org. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- ↑ Groot Handboek Geneeskrachtige Planten by Geert Verhelst
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11515544
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773021222000402
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17089700/
- ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2013/07/03/2485955/ Smoking Alcohol Could Lead To Overdosing
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/942681/
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Brent J (2001). "Current management of ethylene glycol poisoning". Drugs. 61 (7): 979–88. doi:10.2165/00003495-200161070-00006. ISSN 0012-6667. PMID 11434452.
- ↑ Brent R. Ekins; et al. (Mar 1985). "Standardized Treatment of Severe Methanol Poisoning With Ethanol and Hemodialysis". West J Med. 142 (3): 337–40. PMC 1306022
.
- ↑ https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3609/smpc
- ↑ "Poisoned tourist saved with vodka drip". NBC News. 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
- ↑ http://www.kpho.com/story/15981315/teens-using-vodka-tampons-to-get-drunk