There are numerous ways in which people are able to
smuggle alcohol into an event, on a cruise ship, on a plane, wherever they want to take it, even if it’s prohibited. Up until recently, all of these ways involved alcohol in liquid form, because what other form would it come in? Well, now alcohol comes in a powder form. You didn’t misread that. There is a new product set to hit the U.S. called Palcohol;
powdered alcohol.
Palcohol is just freeze-dried alcohol which comes in different flavors that you simply mix with water to create a cocktail. Along with the many reasons why this seems ridiculous, there are a lot of concerns about the potential for abuse by minors as the light weight packaging allows it to be easily snuck in to various places. Those concerns appear to be justified when it comes to alcohol in general, considering there is already an epidemic of underage drinking, and people of all ages getting caught trying to smuggle it into places where it’s prohibited. However, these don’t appear to be grounds for banning such a product.
Many people believe that the convenience of the packaging could be a reason for people to abuse the product. Playing devil’s advocate here, one could call into consideration the convenience of mini bottles of alcohol. They require no mixing and are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Another concern that has been raised is the potential attraction to children due to the flavors Palcohol comes in. What about the alcoholic drinks which already exist that have intriguing and tempting flavors; Cinnamon-Orange, Lychee-Grapefruit, would those not sound appealing to kids as well?
Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse are very real problems in our country today. Despite the 17.6 million people who suffer from alcohol abuse, it is everywhere. It’s at sporting events, restaurants, concerts, and hundreds of places where people go. So while there is an effort to try and ban things such as Palcohol, there still needs to be more of a focus on better educating kids, teenagers, even adults, on the dangers of alcohol abuse, and perhaps giving kids a clearer understanding as to why they aren’t allowed to have certain things they see adults having.
Banning Palcohol isn’t going to stop people from abusing alcohol. Knowledge and education are the preventative keys to the future. No matter what is offered out there, someone, somewhere, will find a way to abuse it or misuse it regardless of how the substance was intended. It reminds me of those
PSA commercials, you know, the ones with the shooting star and the tagline “The More You Know.” While some might see them as being cheesy, the message is important; the more you know, the more information you have, the higher the chance you’ll make logical, informed decisions. So educate yourself on Palcohol and if you have kids, talk to them about it and the dangers of alcohol abuse. After all, knowledge is power. If you or anyone you know is suffering from alcohol abuse or addiction, please call for help.
