More States Consider Banning Powdered Alcohol

Alcohol is abused more than any other addictive substance on the planet. In cities across the country, alcohol can be purchased on almost every corner that has a convenience store, and there is no shortage of ways the substance can be abused. One of the latest concerns facing lawmakers across the country is powdered alcohol, a product that hasn't even made it into stores, and yet, states have been working towards banning it due to public health concerns, the Associated Press reports.

The powdered alcohol product, known as Palchol, is manufactured by Lipsmark, which claims each serving is the equivalent of one shot of liquor. Marketed as a drink you can make on the go, a user needs only to mix the powder with water and they will have themselves an alcoholic beverage.

States that already have bans in place, according to the article, are:

• Alaska
• Delaware
• Louisiana
• South Carolina
• Vermont

States are considering bans as well, include:

• Minnesota
• Ohio
• New York
• Colorado

"I think being proactive and jumping out in front of the problem is probably the right thing to do," said Chris Johnson, executive director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado. "It really doesn't have any place in our society, powered alcohol. We have enough problems with the liquid kind."

Due to its ability to be concealed, there is little question that powdered alcohol will appeal to young adults and teenagers. Concerns have also been raised regarding powdered alcohol's ability to be used in unintended ways, such as snorting the product; however, Lipsmark argues that snorting powdered alcohol would be painful and impractical, according to the article.

The FDA has not taken any steps to deter the release of powdered alcohol.