AMA Against Powdered Alcohol

It probably fair to say that dehydrated alcohol that comes in a powder is a slippery slope, one that will likely lead to serious health problems if allowed to be sold in stores. Alcohol in liquid form is insidious enough, providing it in a form that can easily be concealed raises the stakes to say the least—especially when it comes to teenagers.

The product in question is called Palcohol, powdered alcohol that comes in a variety of flavors. One need to only mix the powder with water, and voilà, you have yourself a cocktail. The makers of Palcohol, Lipsmark LLC, say that the product is meant for hikes or backpacking trips. However, since the announcement of the product, both lawmakers and health officials have been up in arms about the product, citing concerns of teenage use and abuse due to the products ability to be easily hidden from adults and authorities.

While a number of states have taken measures to preemptively ban Palcohol, the product has been available in other countries for over a decade, Medscape reports. Last week, at the American Medical Association’s (AMA) annual meeting, the House of Delegates voted to support federal and state legislation prohibiting powdered alcohol:

• Manufacturing
• Importation
• Distribution
• Sales

"The harms that could arise from mixing powdered alcohol with liquid alcohol or even with energy drinks raises the potential for dangerous patterns of use," the council said in a report.

In the United States, 32 states have already banned powdered alcohol, and other states are considering similar legislation, according to the article. The University of Michigan conducted a survey which found that 60 percent of adults favor powdered alcohol bans.

"We believe that powdered alcohol has the potential to cause serious harm to minors," said Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, a member of the AMA board of trustees, in a news release.