Could Synthetic Alcohol One Day Alter the Impact of Drinking?

If you like to, on occasion, drink your fair share of adult beverages and not feel the rough consequences after the fact, then you’re going to really appreciate what one British professor and scientist is up to.

The man – who can soon become the hero for beer chuggers and spirit sippers alike – is Dave Nutt, a former advisor to the U.K. government. Currently, Nutt’s plan is to create a synthetic alcohol that will allow drinkers to feel euphoric, but not drunk, by developing a substance that’ll interact differently with the brain. What’s more, the substance would prevent you from feeling ill the morning after a night on the town.

Thus far, Nutt has applied for patents for 90 different types of synthetic alcohol compounds. What’s known about the concoction Nutt is currently testing, is that – according to Relaxnews – it is “not based on a derivative of benzodiazepine,” an ingredient found in anti-anxiety medication, that has been previously linked to many synthetic compounds previously tested.

Beyond that, it is unclear as to what Nutt’s synthetic alcohol recipe currently looks like, or could be once completed.

As for when we can expect synthetic alcohol to make an impact on society, Nutt believes that between now and 2050, the substance could eventually replace the alcohol we currently consume.

Until then, drink responsibly and always be sure to have some water handy once the alcohol is put away – your body will thank you for that.

-Adam Grant