“Palcohol” Facing Buzzkill from State Legislatures

We’ve got good news and bad news for those of you who are sick and tired of toting around a flask. The good news first: powdered alcohol has won approval from federal regulators and is very close to hitting the market. Basically, it’s freeze-dried or dehydrated alcohol that can either be consumed by itself or mixed with water to produce a drink. The product is being marketed by one company as “Palcohol.” The bad news? More than 20 states have already acted to ban it, either temporarily or outright. On Friday, New York became the latest.

In March, Palcohol received the green light from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. This was the last regulatory step on the federal level before the product could be sold in stores. However, the states can also regulate alcohol sales in their borders. Many have done exactly that.

Based on purported concerns about safety and underage drinking, many states have already banned the product. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo claims that powdered alcohol can easily lead to dangerous levels of intoxication if it is ingested in its powdered form or mixed incorrectly. Cuomo said in statement:

This dangerous product is a public health disaster waiting to happen. I am proud to sign this legislation that will keep powdered alcohol off the shelves and out of the wrong hands.

Palcohol is working hard to reverse these bans and claims that the so-called safety concerns are a false pretense.  On its website, Placohol states “this isn’t about powdered alcohol being a public safety threat. It’s about the liquor companies protecting their market share and profits.” Mark Philips, Palcohol’s creator, claims, “Palcohol is not some super concentrated version of alcohol. It’s simply one shot of alcohol in powdered form.”

We’ll be keeping an eye on this issue for you.

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