Thursday, March 19, 2015

Powdered Alcohol:
The Latest Innovation

On Tuesday, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (that's a mouthful) approved the sale of the first powdered version of alcohol... or Palcohol.

So far, the company responsible for its creation has approval to make 4 flavors: vodka, rum, cosmopolitan, and powderita (a margarita flavor). The company claims that a single packet mixed with water will have the same alcohol content as one mixed drink.

Lawmakers are currently trying to repeal the legality of this product due to its potential to become another form of mainstream drugs. The product is only legal to those of us over the age of 21, but the fear is that it'll be much easier to sneak alcohol into places it doesn't belong, like schools.

Another consideration raising red flags is the potential for "snorting" the product. The company claims that this was kept in mind, and that any packet will create an extreme burning sensation in the nose. They also claim that it would take about an hour to snort enough of it to be equal to one shot of vodka. One way around this is through the making of the powder. If a person were to consume the powder straight, it would turn gummy and pasty within their mouth. 

There will always be ups and downs about new brands and styles of alcohol that hit the market. Maybe some of you remember the energy drink and alcohol combo that created quite a stir around college campuses the last few years.

In any case, this is just the beginning of a long battle involving yet another controversial alcohol innovation.  Palcohol is definitely not the first, nor will it be the last.

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