At some bars and dance clubs - mostly in Europe and Asia - drinking alcohol is so last season.

The new trend: Inhaling your alcohol in vapor form.

Using a device known as Alcohol Without Liquid, partygoers can transform their hard liquor into an alcohol-oxygen vapor. They then imbibe the mist to get a "euphoric high," according to Spirit Partners, the device's U.S. distributor.

But North Dakotans looking to experience such a high may soon be out of luck.

A bill before the Legislature would ban this device in the state.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said the device could be dangerous because vaporized alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the liver and stomach.

This type of alcohol consumption is untested and could attract users who shy away from traditional alcohol consumption, Stenehjem said Tuesday at a House Judiciary hearing on the ban.

"The concern that I have is that in other states and Europe, it has proved to be very popular with underage drinkers that don't like the taste of alcohol," he said.

Introduced in the United States in 2004, the AWOL device is used in bars, clubs and at private parties. It delivers the equivalant of a shot of liquor over a 20-minute period.

Mixing the alcohol with oxygen creates "a sense of well-being and a mild euphoria," according to Spirit Partners' Web site.

The company did not return calls for comment on Monday.

The AWOL device fell on hard times soon after its introduction.

But as concern about the device grew and state legislatures started to ban it, the resulting publicity led to improved sales of the $299 machine.

AWOL has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on NBC's "Today" show and in many daily newspapers.

So far, 17 states - including Minnesota and Wyoming -have banned it.

Nicollette Weissman, executive director of the North Dakota Hospitality Association, said she knows of no cases where this device has been used in the state.

"When I've talked to some of the bar owners, they have no idea what these things are," Weissman said.

Bill sponsor Rep. Duane DeKrey, R-Pettibone, said he also knows of no cases where the device has been used here.

"I decided it would be a good idea to nip this thing in the bud before this becomes a problem in North Dakota," he said.

The committee didn't take any action on the bill Monday.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 223-8482 or jonathan.rivoli@;bismarcktribune.com.)