London, November 10 A substance is being developed which will give the high of alcohol without the negative effects like a hangover or liver damage.

Controversial ex Government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt is the man behind the unique creation.

"I am working on a prototype of a synthetic alcohol. We can make someone feel pleasantly inebriated then reverse it," The Sun quoted him as saying.

He added: "We have a partial alternative tested on volunteers. With Government backing, the first ever synthetic alcohol could be available in three to five years.

Nutt, who was sacked as chairman of the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after saying ecstasy is safer than alcohol, believes the drink would cut down the number of alcohol related deaths.

He said: "The potential for this is enormous. It could slash Britain's binge drinking epidemic, which currently costs the NHS 3billion pounds a year, and reduce the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning.

"At the moment it is very hard to treat alcohol poisoning - medics simply have to wait for booze to clear the system. With the new approach, they would have an antidote available immediately."

He further asserted that it would also help law enforcement agencies in the long run.

He said: "Law enforcement could even have the antidote to use on revellers who have used the solution. We could get rid of liver cirrhosis, stomach ulcers, cardiac problems and a huge number of the toxic effects.

"We have worked out how alcohol affects the brain and can target these areas. We gave one volunteer a substance similar to Valium, which is a sedative. The feeling was similar to being drunk. We then reversed this.

"We have the knowledge to make a far superior synthetic alcohol. But this project is hard to progress.

"Firstly, there is little external interest, perhaps because people think this idea is too radical. Secondly, selling the substance would be difficult. It would be classified as a drug and would fall foul of drug laws.

"This is why we need Government support. Alcohol manufacturers may also protest. At the moment we don't have a sensible approach to alcohol - it's time for a discussion about safe alternatives.

"You are never going to stop people enjoying a drink. But if they are going to drink, let them do it without the terrible risks of alcohol. I believe in 25 years we could be drinking high-quality, safe alcohol.Hopefully in the future people will raise a toast over my grave with a glass of synthetic booze." (ANI)