Powdered Alcohol Legal in US?

[proxyasian]

Palcohol

http://www.palcohol.com/home.html

Powdered Alcohol, or 'Palcohol', recently received approval by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Despite the approval being temporarily revoked due to some labeling problems, it appears that palcohol will soon be available sometime this fall. The patent is still pending, so it may or may not receive final approval. Apparently, it is to be sold in white powder form, and added to 5oz of water or orange juice or whatnot, to make your favorite drinks. Current flavors are planned to be rum, vodka, and powderita. The product itself is basically a bunch of sugar molecules with dried ethanol in them, and would have the same alcohol content as a single shot or mixed drink.


Now, is this a good idea? Something similar came out in the Netherlands a while ago, Booz2Go. It was marketed specifically to people 16 and under. Also, the palcohol can be snorted to basically get you drunk instantly, although it would mess up your nasal passages pretty badly. The issue of sneaking this into areas it shouldn't be in comes to mind, like a school, or sneaking it into a stadium to avoid paying for $15 beer.

So, a great idea for people who want to relax without the hassle of lugging a bunch of bottle/cans around, or a health disaster?

On a side note, will it continue to produce hilarious terms like palcohol and powderita?

[Vanoi]

No, it hasn't. A recent follow up this story shows its a mistake. The ATF has not approved powered alcohol yet.

[proxyasian]

Right-there are problems with the labeling they proposed, as it contained the wrong percent of alcohol or something. The company behind it resubmitted the proper labels, and are now waiting on processing. If the TTB didn't reject it the first time, I don't see why they would stop the re-labeling.

[Derpy Hooves]

​So a product marketed for people who want alcohol for alcohol's sakes. Sounds like the perfect product for plebeians.

[hellheaven1987]

​So a product marketed for people who want alcohol for alcohol's sakes. Sounds like the perfect product for plebeians.

If you are not drinking alcohol for the sake of alcohol, I don't know why you are even drinking.

[Derpy Hooves]

If you are not drinking alcohol for the sake of alcohol, I don't know why you are even drinking.

​I drink things that contain alcohol solely for the taste.

[hellheaven1987]

​I drink things that contain alcohol solely for the taste.

I don't know people actually enjoy that bitter, medicine-like taste.

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

If you are not drinking alcohol for the sake of alcohol, I don't know why you are even drinking.

because scotch rocks!

[hellheaven1987]

because scotch rocks!

[Derpy Hooves]

[Venomousmonkey]

I can see it now "NO HONEY THAT'S NOT THE SUGAR!"..

[RubiconDecision]

Ethanol is a very dangerous drug that easily crosses over into the blood stream. Likewise it easily passes the bloodbrain barrier. This is why people get high so quickly from it.
http://healthland.time.com/2013/06/0...getting-drunk/
One of the most dangerous forms is smoking alcohol, in which this liquid is introduced into the lungs, and it rapidly crosses the alveoli into the blood stream. One could get extremely inebriated in this manner, and for a young person especially the potential for toxic effects are quite bad.

People assume that alcohol in any form is benign, but with peer pressure at a party, far more overdoses occur, than any other drug. A powdered form is extremely troubling. It seems very irresponsible.

[Davius]

People assume that alcohol in any form is benign.

Who are these people who assume this? Most adults know it's a very powerful drug which has potential to cause significant health and social problems.

[chamaeleo]

My very first thought was: BACKPACKING.

Ethanol is a very dangerous drug that easily crosses over into the blood stream. Likewise it easily passes the bloodbrain barrier. This is why people get high so quickly from it.
http://healthland.time.com/2013/06/0...getting-drunk/
One of the most dangerous forms is smoking alcohol, in which this liquid is introduced into the lungs, and it rapidly crosses the alveoli into the blood stream. One could get extremely inebriated in this manner, and for a young person especially the potential for toxic effects are quite bad.

People assume that alcohol in any form is benign, but with peer pressure at a party, far more overdoses occur, than any other drug. A powdered form is extremely troubling. It seems very irresponsible.

There was a vapor-spewing erlenmeyer flask being passed around one of the last Halloween parties I attended...dry ice + vodka, quite an interesting effect both visually and mentally (INSTANT buzz). I think the guy who brought it was dressed as "creepy mad scientist-dude", which is usually a lame costume (for a biology grad student party) but with such a great beverage/prop he totally rocked it.

I agree with you on the palcohol: much potential for abuse.

[proxyasian]

Interesting - the producers noted that they increased the volume of the powder to reduce the chance that people would snort it, but I wonder what would happen if someone tried to smoke it?

[RubiconDecision]

There's nothing wrong with drinking ethanol in moderation. After all Jesus Himself created more wine to keep a long wedding feast going as a miracle and created the best wine of all. The problem with other forms of ethanol are that far more will be hitting the brain in a relatively short period versus imbibing it. We don't know the effects of smoking it. Who knows in what manner powdered alcohol would be taken? Young people make bad decisions in order to feel elated. Some have actually taken shots to their eyes to experiment with this. That's my chief concern ...their health, the rapid loss of inhibitions and teen pregnancy, and driving while intoxicated.

Approving a source of ethanol in this manner without knowing the side effects is irresponsible. That's a far cry from three glasses of wine with a meal. Since it takes time to drink, even if drinking shots, then there is time for the brain to kick in and think, "Whoa...slow down...you're going to make yourself sick." With this form or smoking ethanol, you lack that gap of decision making.

While teen pregancy rates have been recently declining, 1/3 of them involve ethanol consumption. Being impaired leads to bad judgement.

[hellheaven1987]

After all Jesus Himself created more wine to keep a long wedding feast going as a miracle and created the best wine of all.

Because Jesus knew drinking water at his time was like playing Russian roulette with four bullets in the gun; wait Sumerians already knew that actually.

Thank to modern water cleaning system we can drink tap water without the need to pass a saving throw of whether there are enough E.coli in the water or not.

[sleepyx732]

Hey I'm drinking right now. Or was anyway. Feel like I'm going to puke if I drink anymore vodka and orange juice.

I'd probably try smoking this. Probably just go with weed at that point though. Don't know, smoking alcohol just sounds (and snorting it) like a really stupid idea.. but isn't that what'll attract the kiddies?

[RubiconDecision]

Sure, the problem with ethanol has always been the weight of carrying it around while sneaking some. Now with powdered or smoking alcohol, it makes it very easy for young people to use it.

All of which is rather weird. In Japan, there used to be beer machines on the street, but seldom did you see young people purchasing it. Want to curb alcohol abuse? Stop making it such a thrill to sneak some. Teach young people to be careful and wise about using it, and to take care of their friends, and to call for a ride without guilt, but rather praising them being responsible for asking for a ride.

But that's imbibing ethanol, not smoking it or using a powdered form. It's literally a grotesque marketing scheme to appeal at women dieting or to appeal to the young. How many post 25 adults will consume alcohol in this fashion? Not many. But women who constantly worry about their weight will surely be tempted as will any teen looking to get drunk.

[flota]

Is this safe for consumption? Or just another brilliant idea ready to make profit no matter what?