Drunkenness in the Absence of Gravity

Most people of Luftreich are quite familiar with the motor impairment that comes from excessive drink, either from personal experience or by casual observation. As on Earth, this sensation involves a loss of balance; however, the very concept of balance is not quite the same in Luftreich as in a world with gravity.
More precisely, on Earth, the loss of balance that accompanies drunkenness includes a tendency to instinctively confuse up with down, to sway or stagger from side to side, and in extreme cases to topple to the ground, unable to regain one’s feet without the assistance of one’s companion. In Luftreich, the loss of balance is arguably more serious. To lose one’s balance is to lose the intuitive awareness of one’s positioning in space. The results is for the victim to slowly and subconsciously drift off in a seemingly random direction, unless directly restrained in place or indirectly anchored by clear visual cues such as an object or person of focus.
Similarly, in this gravity-free world the slight buzz that comes with one or two drinks is known as feeling “drifty” rather than “tipsy”, as if one could simply float away carefree. And all too often, a drunken person does float away, leading to a whole variety of consequences. Most of these instances have been merely embarrassing for the overambitious drinker, but occasionally fatalities have occurred. To avoid such serious repercussions, the residents in most cities with an active nightlife have naturally developed a tendency to look out for their friends and to ensure they arrive safely at home (within securely locked doors to prevent sleep-drifting). In a few close-knit, booze-loving communities, one even has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of any stranger who appears intoxicated, and bouncers must deny egress to any such person who attempts to leave the bar unaccompanied.
In communities with such neighborly cultures, problem drinkers usually fare quite well under the watchful eye of their fellow citizens; furthermore, the tendency towards alcoholism is not so stigmatized in these alcohol-loving regions. By contrast, life with an alcohol addiction is a heavy burden to bear in the more sober locales, where most residents lack even a basic understanding of why someone would engage in such a dangerous pastime in the first place. As a result, many lonely souls take to the bottle in private, and often quite literally slip away without the communal safety net that would have protected them in a more understanding region.

Type

Chemical Compound

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Common