August 10, 2015 - Skyline Newspaper

By Skyline Newspaper August 10, 2015 8 years 664 words

Illinois Joins the Powdered Alcohol Witch Hunt

UPDATED 12/3/2020 On May 11, 2015, the federal agency slapped their stamp of approval on “Palcohol,” a powdered alcohol product. Since then, America has been freaking out. Although the product has …

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UPDATED 12/3/2020

On May 11, 2015, the federal agency slapped their stamp of approval on “Palcohol,” a powdered alcohol product.

Since then, America has been freaking out.

Although the product has not even been made available for commercial purchase, some states are taking swift and firm action against the powdered alcohol substance. Since the federal government’s approval, Michigan and New Jersey have been quick to place bans on “Palcohol,” ruling it too dangerous for commercial sale.

In a survey conducted by the University of Michigan, research showed that 80% of adults in the United States want to ban powdered alcohol from being sold commercially.

So why all the hate?

According to Wired a great deal of the public’s concern is for America’s underage population. The powdered substance has the potential to be mixed with a plethora of flavors, making it appealing to young children.

Spiked Kool-Aid aside, many U.S. adults feel that “Palcohol” has the potential to be snorted, which could be dangerous.

The latest state to jump on the bandwagon is Illinois.

So far, the state has been very vocal with their decision. Along with the previously mentioned fears, Illinois state leaders fear that powdered alcohol could be used to supplement alcoholic drinks, making them all the more potent. This could mean danger for young teens, especially those who drink and get behind the wheel.

For a driver to be considered alcohol impaired, they have to have a blood alcohol level (BAC) of .08. Illinois feels that powdered alcohol will increase the incidence of these drivers on the road.

So what’s the truth about powdered alcohol? Is it really all that dangerous?

According to an experiment conducted by Wired, powdered alcohol isn’t as easy to swallow as your run of the mill alcoholic beverage. Additionally, a person would have to snort nearly 30 half gram lines of powdered alcohol to consume the equivalent of even half a shot of vodka.

But since “Palcohol” isn’t commercially available yet, subject and author Brent Rose had to speculate, making a powdered concoction of his own using vodka and maltodextrin (“Palcohol” uses cyclodextrin).

The truth is, we may never know its positive or harmful effects until it hits shelves in the coming months.

While an occasional sip of alcohol should not cause an alarm, its impacts could start immediately after your first taste. Did you know that in the United States, 1 drink of alcohol equals to 14 grams of pure alcohol? Since 0.08 blood level content [BAC] is the legal limit, possessing 0.25 blood alcohol level could lead to alcohol poisoning and, if you consume to 0.9 blood alcohol level, you should consider outpatient alcohol rehab to contain and manage it.

Here are 10 ways alcohol affects your body.

Long-term effects:

Memory loss
Alcohol dependence
Stroke
Abnormal heartbeat
Cancers of the throat, liver, mouth, larynx, among others

Short-term effects:

Poor coordination
Vomiting
Passing out
Blurred vision
Low concentration level

Below are 15 facts about alcohol:

It causes more than 95000 death each year in the U.S.A
It’s a drug despite being a legal-drink
The brain starts to react to alcohol in 6 minutes.
Slows down brain activity [depressant]
Illegal for persons under the age of 18years
Men consume alcohol more than women
Women who depend on alcohol have 50-100% chances of dying from an alcohol-related
It could lead to dementia.
For beverages like spirit, wine, and beer, it is pure ethanol.
It can act as a disinfectant
Excessive alcohol intake is dangerous
The legal limit of blood-alcohol content, if you’re driving, is 80 mg/dL or of 0.08%
Increases traumatic injury endurance
Vodka is the most popular brand
In the bible, its written 500times
It can lead to addiction
Therefore, drink responsibly.