If you haven’t heard of powdered alcohol, you are probably doing a double-take. Yes, it can and is made, and it may become available to consumers under the brand name Palcohol in September, 2014. The release of Palcohol to the public is very controversial and opponents say it poses a host of dangers, especially to children. Others say that the risks are being overestimated. Either way, the novelty alone is likely to generate overindulgence and accidents.
The Controversy
Palcohol was approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in April, 2014. The agency later claimed that the approval was made in error. Lipsmark, Palcohol’s parent company, said the problem was with the labeling, not the substance.
On August 11, 2014, Senator Charles Schumer, of New York, announced that he would propose a bill banning Palcohol, and criticized the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for refusing to investigate the risks of Palcohol. But, the FDA does not have the authority to regulate alcoholic beverages.
Palcohol’s website has been another issue. The old content, which the company says was copied when the website was in draft mode and was not meant for the public, suggested sneaking Palcohol into concerts and events to avoid paying for drinks and sprinkling the powder on food. The site has since been changed and recommends using Palcohol “responsibly.”
Appealing to Children?
Palcohol is expected to come out in six varieties, vodka, rum, mojito, margarita, cosmopolitan, and lemon drop. One of the big concerns is that the sweet flavors will appeal to children, who may believe it is candy and ingest enough to suffer alcohol poisoning.
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