Many of us wouldn’t choose to have hangovers, if there was another option. A dry mouth, throbbing head and overall sick feeling are not things you would willingly pick for yourself - it’s no wonder that new hangover cures are constantly being tried and tested.
Now, a drug expert has predicted that in 10-20 years we won’t have to deal with hangovers at all – because they won’t be drinking alcohol. Instead he reckons we’ll be drinking hangover-free synthetic alcohol called ‘alcosynth’.
Drug scientist David Nutt has said that this synthetic alcohol will mimic the effects of real alcohol, without any of the side effects – including hangovers and damage to the liver, heart, blood vessels and brain.
‘In another 10 or 20 years, Western societies won't drink alcohol except on rare occasions,’ Nutt, who is pioneering the synthetic alternative, told IB Times UK.
‘Alcosynth will become the preferred drink, in the same way that I can see – almost within a decade now in the Western world – tobacco and cigarettes will disappear as they're replaced by electronic cigarettes.’
Nutt has also said that alcosynth will still have the same relaxing effects as alcohol, and the products will be aimed at 18-25 year olds as they already drink less alcohol than older people.
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In the same way that younger people are moving from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, conversations around the harmful effects of alcohol are becoming more frequent, and the idea of being able to ‘drink’ as much as you like, with the same effects, and then waking up the next morning feeling completely fine will definitely appeal to people in fact.
The synthetic alcohol venture, Alcarelle, has identified a few substances that can be used as alcosynth, and the team behind it is hoping to raise £7m to bring the product to market.
‘Why should the only thing available to adults at a party be something that is bad for you?’ Alcarelle managing director David Orren told IB Times UK. ‘It's just wrong, especially when science provides a wonderful alternative.’
Hangover-free alcohol sounds like a dream come true to those who know all too well how bad the after effects of alcohol can be, but whether this will become a mainstream alternative remains to be seen, it’s pretty hard to wean people off their favourite drink.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.