The lurking specter of powdered alcohol (it also goes by the kid-friendlier “palcohol”) has made US lawmakers and state and federal legislators jumpier than usual. Now that it has been approved for sale by the Federal Tax and Trade Authority (why not? More alcohol=more taxes….), it seems that these legislators would like nothing better than to ban it before it even reaches the stores. The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau had earlier approved the sale of palcohol (What’s this warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest? That’s it, enough beer for one night) in the following flavors: vodka, rum, cosmopolitan and “powderita”. Lemon drop is still pending review, though. The Utah state legislature is adopting a bill to ban the product in response, and New York Senator Charles Schumer is introducing a law that would ban it completely at the federal level.
“Underage alcohol abuse is a growing epidemic with tragic consequences and powdered alcohol could exacerbate this,” according to Schumer anyway. He had made this statement while introducing the catchy ‘Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Reauthorization Act’ (STOP) legislation.
Powdered alcohol has also been banned (or has pending legislation banning it) in Vermont, South Carolina, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Michigan, Louisiana, Alaska and Colorado.
“Since the product isn’t even on the market yet, there is not one shred of evidence that it will be used or abused any differently than liquid alcohol,”Palcohol maker Lipsmark LLC said on its website. “Every concern we’ve heard is unfounded speculation and that is no basis to outlaw a product.”
According to Mark Phillips, its inventor, he had intended that powdered alcohol be used by travelers as well as the medical, manufacturing and energy industries. Although Palcohol will certainly be a boon for drunken travelers everywhere, legislators contend that its convenience would allow it to be used virtually everywhere; that kid getting a brain freeze from drinking a Slurpee? Naw, its palcohol. This is not necessarily true, as palcohol will be covered by the same laws preventing sales to minors. Phillips also dismisses the argument that palcohol could be used to spike someone’s drink, as it has qualities that make the process rather difficult compared to other available drugs.
It is rather surprising that legislators are up-in-arms about this potential tax boon, though when one views it from the perspective of the entrenched alcohol lobby, palcohol also allows people to sneak in an alcoholic beverage while watching a live sports match. This would negatively affect alcohol retailers who profit from imposing a large mark-up on sales at such events.
The US FDA has responded to the backlash from the media with the following statement: “We did not provide an approval, nor did we conduct any testing.” However, the agency did evaluate the non-alcohol ingredients in the powder, at the request of TTB, and had concluded that “the use of ingredients in the proposed products was in compliance with FDA’s regulations.” Ingredients used in the powder are “typical of ingredients found in many processed foods,” the statement said, so “at this time the FDA does not have a legal basis to block market entry of this product.”
The FDA had also previously claimed that it lacked the authority to ban powdered powdered caffeine, which had already caused two overdose deaths last year, since such things are technical considered food supplements. The agency does urge potential users to be careful, however, as it is impossible to determine correct dosages when one only uses household equipment. I suppose the only advice I’d give would be to keep your pal away from palcohol if his girlfriend had just dumped him, or if he just got fired at work….. There are no short-cuts on the road to drunkenness, it takes hard work and persistence.
