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Powdered Alcohol Approved By Feds, Banned By States

Posted by timothy on from the nanny-states-plural dept.

StikyPad writes Powdered alcohol was approved for sale by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, but that hasn't stopped several states from introducing their own legislation to ban the substance, including Alaska, Louisiana, South Carolina, Vermont, New York, Virginia, Ohio, and Iowa. The utility of powdered alcohol is said to be in weight reduction, particularly for transport on foot when hiking and camping, but lawmakers cite fears about the potential of abuse by minors and spiked drinks.

7 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Following instructions? by thieh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wonder how many people will actually follow the instructions in mixing these things back to booze. Somehow I am inclined to believe people do not want to follow the instructions and swallow the stuff with as little water as physically possible.

    1. Re: Following instructions? by gman003 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Ever since I heard the "dehydrated water" joke, I thought it would be a brilliant name for a water-purification powder, like the stuff you use while camping.

      Instant water, just add water - but the water you add doesn't have to be clean, and the water you get is drinkable. Memorable brand if nothing else.

  2. Re:Becasue... the children! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's not the real reason, they don't want anyone sneaking booze into place where they'd otherwise spend money on beer and drinks. Like stadiums, concerts, etc.

    Don't believe everything a politician tells you, they get money from Bud, Coors, and Jack Daniels.

  3. Spiked drinks? by gurps_npc · · Score: 4, Insightful
    How exactly are you supposed to stick this thing in someone's non-alcoholic drink and them not notice the taste? Or are they talking about adding more alcohol to my martini - in which case, yes please.

    They only people that need to worry about this are the teachers at a high school dance. And we all know how effective they are at stopping kids from drinking....

    --
    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  4. Marketing Hype. by painandgreed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You could get even lighter and easier transportability by taking Everclear or some other near 200 proof alcohol and adding flavoring to add to your water. Palcohol is just the same thing that is bound to a powder, most likely tapioca maltodextrin. Similar process is already used in some cooking recipes. You can already make it yourself. It's not some neat way to make alcohol any lighter or more compact.

  5. Re:Dangers by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    America has stupid alcohol laws because Americans are stupid about alcohol.

    Or perhaps the reverse - Americans are stupid about alcohol because America has stupid alcohol laws....

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  6. Re:Becasue... the children! by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 4, Insightful

    FWIW, all sorts of crazy stuff is already happening with cannabis edibles in Colorado. Here's the fear and loathing article that made the rounds...

    Maybe there's a good reason to pause given the public doesn't really know how to handle this stuff yet...

    The former argument doesn't lead to the latter. People have been using Cannibis in its various forms for at least several hundred years. It simply isn't true that we don't know what to do with it. The information is everywhere.

    Morons will be morons, no matter what tools they use to demonstrate it. That should NOT be a restriction on the rest of us.