Perhaps you have seen the reports, but powdered alcohol has been making its rounds on the internet the past few weeks. With names like Palcohol, surely it is going to be a fun experience…right?
Well, maybe not. Few people are aware that, even for non-addicts and alcoholics, alcohol is one of the most toxic substances we know to humans. You know how you have to urinate frequently when drinking? That is your liver working overtime to clean you out fast enough. Getting drunk is nothing more than the backlog of work for your liver.
Touted as a way to get around so-called “dry stadiums” and events, powdered alcohol is a subtle way people can get their buzz without drawing attention. Questions remain, though, on the legality of it, as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is claiming that their earlier-issued approval was made in error, but has failed to make further comment or verify that was the case. However, that seems unlikely, given that vodka, rum, and other varieties of Palcohol were approved on the same day by the same agency.
Huh…
The company producing the powdered alcohol also clearly issues a warning: do not snort it. Good advice, considering that the amount of alcohol entering the bloodstream is a lot greater and a lot more potent. However, reread that part a little earlier about alcohol being one of the most toxic substances out there. Consider the liver as a barrier or buffer, and then imagine that not playing as big a role in the processing of alcohol. Needless to say, alcohol poisoning will be a lot more common once powdered alcohol becomes more common, as well. It also does not take into consideration other means of ingestion. Injecting or…below the waist administration…would prove to be a far more deadly and dangerous activity. To make matters worse, there are now instructions for creating powdered alcohol readily available online, without the much-needed warnings accompanying it.
Then, lets also admit something to ourselves: bringing a bag of white powder into a stadium is not likely to end well for anyone who gets caught. At the very least, security and police will assume it is cocaine, if not something like anthrax, considering the similar appearance. And how do you prove otherwise? You cannot; you simply have to sit in jail until the matter is cleared up. At that point, though, you have already long-missed the game you intended to attend. Somewhat related: will this make cocaine a more palatable and socially acceptable drug, given the similar appearance?
Powdered alcohol is going to prove something of a Pandora’s box. Although the technology has been around for awhile for those with the desire to do so, most people do not have the inclination. However, with this being at the forefront of public consciousness, it is increasingly likely that we will see more incidents surrounding Palcohol and its derivatives.
Powdered Alcohol
What do you think? Is this going to change the nature of controlled substances in public opinion? Let us know in the comments below!