What About the Olive?

Coming out of Britain is news that a new drinking fad may be on the horizon--snorting alcohol. Refered to as AWOL (alcohol without liquid) patrons basically place a small mouthpiece over their nose and/or mouth and breathe in the spirits, with absorption taking place in the lungs or nasal passages. As to be expected customers enjoy it while authorities complain about people finding a new way to have fun, I guess.

Personally I don't see it lasting. Part of the allure of drinking martinis is the esthetic quality of the practice. I think of what it might be like to give a toast and ask the people seated around you to "Raise your intake hoses." The basic structure of the glass lends itself to elegance and this has made the martini a great prop for entertainers. Try to imagine "Swingers" without the stemware. John Favreau steps off the dance floor with Heather Graham and they have a touching scene together as she is reefing on a mouthpiece. Bender would not be nearly as funny tossing back see-throughs through industrial grade tubing. And that cinematic bastion of the martini James Bond would lose much of his impact when he hones his gaze on a lady and commands the bartender to make his martini "Aspirated, not squirted."

Rather than a social token this new method, which bypasses the stomach and liver to get the juice into bloodstream, smacks of providing a more efficient delivery system for the buzz. That being the case I can think of only one movie where this would appear as a natural fit.