Nearly a year ago, in March of 2015, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved for sale a powdered form of alcohol, blandly titled “Palcohol.” Claimed to be safer and less risky than traditional liquid alcohol, the 55% substance is intended to be mixed with water to create several different drinks including vodka, rum, margaritas, cosmopolitans, and lemon drops. The product has also drawn critics to caution the public on its great potential for abuse.
This week, however, the Baltimore City Health Department has taken the resistance a step further after convening physicians and public health officials who compiled a statement about the inherent dangers associated with Palcohol. Following their claim that the substance would lead to “abuse and misuse among both youths and adults,” the city of Baltimore and state of Maryland officially declared a ban on its sale and distribution. The health officials are urging nearby jurisdictions to further the effort by forming coalitions to make sure the product stays off the market.
So, for attendees of August’s Moonrise festival, it seems traditional alcohol will continue to be the only kind allowed inside the Baltimore race course.
Source: Dancing Astronaut, Medical News Today
