Much Debate Ensues Over Powdered Alcohol Even as New York State Decides to Ban the Substance

When news about the possibility of powdered alcohol, or Palcohol as it is being popularly referred to - made headlines, parents and alcohol-abuse-prevention authorities alike were worried about its potential misuse. But some of these fears are now allayed with the New York state senate also deciding to prohibit the substance from being sold on the market. A bill to this effect was passed on Monday.

For the uninitiated, Palcohol can be stirred into any liquid to instantly create an alcoholic beverage. There are also concerns that people may be more vulnerable to an overdose form Palcohol than if it was in the liquid form. 

Earlier, in March 2015, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau had given a nod of approval for the sale of powdered alcohol. Since then, a number of states have thwarted attempts by companies manufacturing Palcohol to sell it on the market. Recently, Alaska has made powdered alcohol illegal, and Vermont and South Carolina too have stamped it out. As many as 39 jurisdictions are now following suit; these include the District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico.

In fact, a few politicians refuse to stop at the ban. They are pushing for legislation that will make the very production, sale or possession of Palcohol a crime, reported CBS. The recent article discussed how misusing powdered alcohol would be much easier than its liquid form. In a recent report in the Washington Post, sneaking Palcohol into schools and public events to spike drinks will be exceedingly easy. Similarly, there are fears that some people will resort to snorting the substance for an instant high.

With this, Lipsmark LLC, a company that manufactures Palcohol, has much to contend with. And contending it is, having recently hired a team of lobbyists. The company claims that Palcohol has applications across a myriad of industries – right from pharmaceuticals to the military to energy to aviation to recreation.

But with a string of bans already in place, whether or not the company is able to brave the headwinds remains to be seen.