Sweden limits hand sanitizer sales because of alcohol-craving teens

A disturbing trend among Swedish teenagers of drinking anti-bacterial hand wash for its alcohol content has forced pharmacies to put them behind the counter.

Police asked chemists in the Varmland region to remove the hand gels from shop floors after several teens became ill from consuming the products.

The dangerous practice was discovered on New Year’s Eve.

“Young people were coming into the emergency room with alcohol poisoning and said that they had drunk alcogels,” a police spokesman said.

In Sweden, you must be 20 to purchase alcohol from the state-run stores.

That can really cramp a teen’s style, which is why they have to be "innovative" when it comes to getting wasted.

Hand sanitizer isn't the only unadvisable method for getting hammered.

Here are some of the most inventive ways to get buzzed.

Cough Syrup

A classic in the States, this easy-to-access medicine offers a drunk-like feeling without having to buy alcohol.

Users can experience dizziness and a floaty feeling.

Thanks to rappers, some people enjoy mixing soft drinks, candy, and codeine-containing cough syrup to create non-alcoholic cocktails.

Cough Syrup can contain dextromethorphan, or DXM, which when taken in high doses leads to a high.

Americans are also known for making other mind-altering substances with cold medicine.

Mouthwash

Another way to get around age restrictions on alcohol consumption is to take a swig of the family mouthwash. Some mouthwash bransds can contain alcohol, so they can be gulped down as a minty alternative to traditional alcoholic beverages. The downside is that mouthwashes often contain methyl alcohol, which is toxic.

I-Dosing

Oh, how times have changed.

Now, technology can get you high without the need to consume any alcohol or drugs at all. I-dosing allows young people to get some sort of a buzz on by listening to binaural beats in MP3s.

The tracks pipe different tones into each ear, and are designed to give the listener the effect of being on drugs, without the danger.

Huffing

Insolvents are another – and more dangerous – way teenagers and some adults experiment with getting high.

Sniffing glue, aerosols, whipped cream canisters (aka whippets), gas, and nail varnish give off fumes that make people feel dizzy, giddy, and even delirious.

The dangers of sniffing include the risk of death from a heart attack, as well as long term damage to the lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Mimeograph

Speaking of times changing, before new technologies ended the party, students at Ridgemont High and other schools used to deeply inhale newly-printed tests if they were produced by a mimeograph machine.

The purplish ink produced an intoxicating odor - and while it probably killed some brain cells each time, students were at least a little more relaxed and euphoric before taking a stressful test.