LONDON (WKOW) -- Researchers at the Imperial College London have developed a synthetic alcohol substitute that could give users the pleasant feelings of tipsiness without affecting the parts of the brain that lead to barroom brawls and addictions.

The synthetic alcohol is developed from chemicals related to Valium and works like alcohol on nerves in the brain that provide a feeling of well being and relaxation.

Professor David Nutt, one of Britain's top drug experts, sees a future of drinking without becoming intoxicated.

Researchers are working to tailor a colorless, tasteless synthetic that could eventually replace the alcohol content in beer, wine and liquor.

Drinkers could consume as much as they want but would remain only mildly drunk from first drink to last. And if they do consume too much to drive safely, they can instantly turn the buzz off with a simple antidote pill that mutes the synthetic's effects on brain receptors.

Source: WKOW-TV