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As A Drink: Alcohol is either consumed directly from its commercial container, or it is mixed with other fluids. Beer is often combined with energy drinks, because the caffeine counters the lethargic effects felt by the user. Unfortunately, lethargy is one of the most conspicuous “drunk” signals perceived by drinkers, making the use of energy drinks a major cause of over-intoxication. The F.D.A. has warned that it may soon ban the use of pre-caffeinated beverages for sale in the U.S.. This would not stop young drinkers from mixing the two themselves.

Eaten: Alcohol is present in various food items and cleansing products. One of the most popular ways of eating alcohol is by way of a “jello-shot” or “jiggler”. A jello shot, as it sounds, is simply a batch of jello made with vodka, or other hard liquor, in place of water. They can be as hard hitting as the cook desires.

During the swine flue season of 2009, many school districts experienced what day care centers had long ago been forced to deal with – kids eating alcohol based hand cleansers. At junior and high school levels, it was found that kids were pumping the cleanser into their mouths or licking it off of their hands to get buzzed. Much of it is scented or flavored like berries, making it palatable. The products contain over 60% alcohol, making it similar to consuming straight vodka.

There are non-alcohol based cleansers available for similar purposes. The industry has also begun producing foul tasting products specifically designed to counter the threat of accidental ingestion.

Insertion: Rehabilitation centers long ago noted the use of tampons or sponges, by both men and women, as a means of delivering alcohol into the bloodstream. With the advent of the internet, this technique became popularized and embraced by some teens. The gauze is soaked in high potency alcohol, such as vodka, and then inserted into the vagina or rectum. The alcohol is absorbed through the mucous membranes into the bloodstream. Intoxication follows in the same manner as if it had been ingested.

Though the delivery of this method is less conspicuous, the results are not. Intoxication manifests in the same way (as described on the “Detecting Alcohol Use” page) regardless of how the alcohol entered the body. Also, alcohol is always eliminated in the breath, sweat, and urine, making it just as easy to detect as it would be if ingested. It is still detectable in the saliva, and equally vulnerable to breath analysis.

Pills: In 2009, a Russian scientist proudly announced the creation of alcohol pills. Claiming to pack the punch of a cocktail or shot of hard liquor, these pills are about the size of a large multi-vitamin. Though splashed across many headlines, these pills have not yet hit the market. In any case, detecting the effects of alcohol based intoxication would not differ.

Alcohol Tutorial: Page 7 of 23