By John B Monteiro

Mar 17: It is official: The freeze-dried alcohol product, known as Palcohol, was just given the green light by the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau (TTB), USA. The turn-around from approval to availability will be quick — the company’s blog says the product will “hopefully be available this summer” (2015). The product could be mixed with water to make an alcoholic beverage.

The good tidings are relayed to the world by Elletra Weidemann in her front cover story-break in Cosmopolitan, also known as Cosmo. It is the international fashion magazine for women, founded in 1886, currently having 64 international editions, printed in 35 languages and distributed in 110 countries. She has written about it in its latest issue dated March 12. In an unusual departure from its women’s fashion obsession, the cover design is related to the alcoholic subject and is titled “Powdered Alcohol –Coming to a Store Near You”. The story is best told in author Elletra’s own words.

“Now, when I first read the news, I was a little alarmed. I mean, does powdered alcohol seem like a bad idea to anyone else?

I am not alone in questioning the wisdom of approving such a product. Palcohol, which comes in different flavours, has met with questions about accessibility and the potential for abuse: Will people snort it? Will it be easier to sneak it into venues? Will it be easier to spike a drink? Will the flavours attract children? But, TTB spokesperson Tom Hogue defended the bureau's approval of the product, saying, “Potential grounds for abuse isn’t grounds for us to deny a label.” Palcohol’s company blog also repudiates criticism of the product, saying, “Since the product isn’t even on the market yet, there is not one shred of evidence that it will be used or abused any differently than liquid alcohol.” The brand also says that criticisms have no basis and are alarmist: The company says snorting one shot’s worth of vodka would take about an hour, it takes at least one minute of stirring for the product to dissolve in a drink, and it would only be sold in liquor stores, similar to other alcoholic products.

Even though Palcohol has been approved by a federal agency, states (in USA) still have the right to regulate powdered alcohol within their own borders. In fact, several states have already moved to ban the product. Colorado, for one, has "advanced legislation to temporarily halt its sale," according to CBS News. Surprisingly, though, some of the strongest opposition is coming from the liquor industry, because, Palcohol's company blog claims, “they want to save their market share.”

That seemed strange to me, but when I learned the powder has many applications beyond consumers and partying — the brand noted uses for the military, medical, and hospitality industries — it started to make more sense. For example, powdered alcohol would be much easier and lighter to transport to remote locations, like a war zone hospital or refugee camp. Additionally, the company writes, “because powdered alcohol is so light, airlines can reduce the weight on an airplane by serving powdered vs. liquid alcohol and save millions on fuel costs." Lighter cargo would mean reduced shipping costs, which would be attractive to many resorts that rely on imported alcohol for their customers or for use as an antiseptic.

I can definitely understand the alarm around this product, but, at the same time, when I read about all of the potential applications, I was intrigued. What do you think? Will powdered alcohol be the ruin of humanity, or are claims exaggerated? Would you drink a cocktail made from powdered alcohol? I guess we'll just have to wait until summer to see.”

Meanwhile, readers of Cosmo, commenting on the article, have implied answers for Elletra’s questions and doubts as reflected in the following responses:

How could powdered alcohol save millions on airplane fuel when you would still have to carry the water to mix the powder with? That doesn't make any sense.

Oh no! I can see the headlines already on college kids overdosing from snorting alcohol.

Considering all the new types of alcohol packaging already in existence, I doubt this will make things any "easier" to sneak alcohol. They already make shots that come in tiny, disposable plastic packaging that would be very easy for anyone to hide. They make those colourful test tubes of alcohol that I'm sure are attractive to children. We already have this kind of thing on the market; I don't see this powder as some huge, dangerous game changer.

If it takes a full minute of actual stirring to make it dissolve, it doesn't seem like it's any easier to spike a drink.

I think it might do away with the phony excuses alcoholics often use such as "I just love the taste of ..."! Thus potentially making it easier to identify when there is a serious addiction!

Alcoholism is recognized by the actions and behaviour of the person suffering with the addiction. Lying is a huge part of alcoholism and catching an addict in a lie rarely helps to determine whether or not that person has a problem since it is one of only many symptoms of a deep and destructive disease.

The heading “Powdered Alcohol is Here” is neither misleading nor hyperbolic in the context of today’s global village and India’s genius for duplicating and faking. Powder-drying technology, both spray-drying and freeze-drying, is widely used in India and it is only a matter of down-scaling to cottage/home industry level - as was done in the case of distillation in the Prohibition era and is being done today to cope with high and-ever rising prices of officially sold alcohol due to taxes and levies through successive budgets and notifications. Plastic sachet packaging is already widely developed as one can see wide variety of items hanging in retail shops and booths. Finally, access to drying and packaging technologies is only a click away thanks to Google.

That is the supply side. Nowow, let us come to the Indian, and more specifically Mangalururian, situation and see the pluses and minuses of powdered alcohol. Many weddings and other celebrations are marked by open bars where one can have his/her fill. But, in some cases, alcohol is not served because the host has some strict principles about serving alcohol or hired venues prohibit serving of alcohol or there is stiff licence fee (Rs 12/14000 for a day) to be paid which is not economically justified when consumers are limited, say 50/100. The resourceful guests resort to what has come to be called “Carbars”. They come in their cars with alcohol and soda bottles and in the middle of the celebrations go to the parking lot ( which is normally unlit) and set up a improvised mini-bar on the bonnet or hood of the car. With powdered alcohol sachets, like the ones used on aircraft for sugar or coffee powder, one can liquify powdered alcohol using the bottled water so commonly provided on the guest tables – and pretend it to be a medication before meal.

Apart from celebration venues, students and young people need not despair in having their supplies with the new form and portability. Instead of asking for alcohol in ML they would ask for MG or a “pinch”- as in the case of salt or snuff.

Whether in liquid or powdered form, alcohol will continue to have strong supporters and opponents as reflected below.

Fill up the goblet and reach to me some,

Drinking makes wise, but dry fasting makes glum.

Wn R Alger

Touch the goblet no more

It will make thy heart sore

To its very core.

Longfellow.

Veteran journalist and author, John B Monteiro now concentrates on Editorial Consultancy, having recently edited the autobiography of a senior advocate, history and souvenir to mark the centenary of Catholic Association of South Canara and currently working on the history/souvenir to mark the platinum jubilee of a chamber of commerce & industry.