Powdered Alcohol is Legal, But is it Safe?

Powdered alcohol, called Palcohol has been approved for sale in the U.S., but how safe is this product?

The powdered alcohol comes in foil pouches (think kids’ juice pouch) that double as the glass. You just pour in 5 ounces of water, zip up the bag and shake until the powder dissolves. The manufacturer says the resulting drink has the same alcohol content as a standard mixed drink. So far, Palcholic is approved for sale in four flavors ---- vodka, rum, cosmopolitan and Powderita --- and is likely to hit store shelves this summer.

We’re on a slippery slope here. Liquid alcohol is already the most abused substance in our country, and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that approximately 855,000 adolescents ages 12-17 suffer from alcohol use disorders. In fact, alcohol now accounts for a higher proportion of deaths worldwide than HIV, AIDS, violence and tuberculosis combined, according to a report from The Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development.

Unfortunately, the novelty of Palcohol is likely to increase the risk of kids experimenting with it. I can’t see how powered alcohol can do anything but make the problem of alcohol abuse --- especially kids --- even worse.

While I could rattle off a list of concerns, just think about these 3:

· With Palcohol’s small package size, it’s easier to conceal. People --- especially underage youth --- will be able to sneak it into school, concerts, sporting events, movie theaters, etc much more easily than traditional alcohol.

· Powdered alcohol could lead an increase of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning. What if kids pour 3 or 4 packets into a water bottle? Or what if Palcohol is used to spike drinks? Kids may not even know they’re binge drinking because they’re unlikely to think about what the alcohol concentration would be.

· There’s a worry people may mix it with other powered drugs. And, some doctors fear teens will start snorting it to get drunk faster, even if the manufacturer warns about the downsides of doing so.

Concerned over the potential for abuse, six states have passed legislation to ban powdered alcohol outright, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. And Senator Charles E. Schumer introduced a bill earlier this year that would ban its sale and manufacture nationwide. “I am in total disbelief that our federal government has approved such an obviously dangerous product, and so, Congress must take matters into its own hands and make powdered alcohol illegal,” Schumer said in a statement. “Underage alcohol abuse is a growing epidemic with tragic consequences and powdered alcohol could exacerbate this. We simply can’t sit back and wait for powdered alcohol to hit store shelves across the country, potentially causing more alcohol-related hospitalizations and God forbid, deaths. This legislation will make illegal the production and sale of this Kool-Aid for underage drinking.”

With Palcohol being a new and novel way for kids to access alcohol, I urge parents to be aware of the new product and what the package looks like. If you do buy it, be sure to lock it up with your liquid alcohol. And this one I can’t stress enough: Talk to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking.

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