Alcohol Vaporizer Appears Legal, New York AG Says

An initial review by the New York attorney general's office finds that the Alcohol Without Liquid (AWOL) device, which recently made its N.Y. debut in a Manhattan bar, is legal, the Associated Press reported Aug. 24.

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said he is concerned about the device, which allows people to inhale alcohol through a fine mist. Darren Dopp, a spokesman for Spitzer, said the attorney general's office is "trying to find out more about it." A review into the British-made device is also being conducted by the state Liquor Authority and state legislators.

State Sen. Patricia McGee (R-Franklinville), chairwoman of the New York Senate's alcohol and substance abuse committee, plans to introduce a bill banning the AWOL device. She said that such devices could lead to irresponsible use of alcohol and more drunk driving.