“Palcohol” – powdered alcohol – could be coming to a store near you. The controversial substance has been held up by federal agencies in the approval process and has also faced public criticism but is still working towards approval.
Powdered Alcohol for Consumption and for Industrial Use
Powdered alcohol isn’t new – a process for creating it was patented back in the 1970’s – but until now, it has only been used for flavoring, not as a standalone drink. That could change with Palcohol, a new version of powdered alcohol made by Lipsmark LLC.
Palcohol exists in two forms: one is industrial, and cannot be consumed, and the other is for making ingestible drinks. Like powdered milk, this second type of powdered alcohol becomes drinkable when mixed with water. Palcohol will be sold in a foil pouch – like a Capri Sun – in a variety of drink flavors like kamikaze, lemon drop, and cosmopolitan. The user simply adds 5 ounces of water to the pouch, zips it up, and shakes it to dissolve the powder into a drinkable liquid. Leftovers can be sealed and saved for later. The powder can also be added to food in its powdered form.
The industrial form could be used in a variety of ways, in medicine, manufacturing, and for energy, according to the Palcohol website.
Palcohol Held Up in the Federal Approval Process
Because Palcohol is a new and different kind of alcoholic substance, it’s unclear whether the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) will have sole authority over its approval or whether the Federal Drug Administration will be involved as well. For now, the first steps include approval by TTB, which oversees regulation and taxation on alcoholic beverages.
The TTB said that the approval granted April 8th to Palcohol was an “error” and rescinded approval two weeks later. The label must be changed to show the correct amount of powder in the bag (the “fill level”) and resubmitted for approval.
Criticism and Controversy Over Palcohol
Many people unhappy with the new product don’t want to see Palcohol approved for sale. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has already called for the FDA to ban it, describing the substance as “scary” and “Kool-Aid” for teens. Owners of businesses such as movie theaters, stadiums, and restaurants don’t want people sneaking in the powder to make their own drinks (and not buying the business’s alcohol). Parents are concerned that Palcohol could be very easy for teens and adults under 21 to obtain and consume. Others are worried that the powder might be snorted.
Palcahol inventor Mark Phillips responded to the negative press, creating a YouTube video to set the record straight and to urge teens not to snort the substance. Not only will snorting it be extremely painful, he says, but it won’t get you drunk. And because 5 ounces of water are required to dissolve the powder, each packet will only be as strong as an average mixed drink from a bar, and no stronger.
If and when the TTB approves the new labels, the product could be on shelves within a year.
