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State Representative Jim Buchy
Safety Concerns
Spur Powdered Alcohol Ban
A new product under consideration by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has no place in Ohio until it is proven safe and acceptable for
use by experts at the highest level. I am working on legislation, House
Bill 594, would ban the sale of powdered alcohol in Ohio to protect our
citizens from the risks and dangers associated with this newly created
substance.
Powdered alcohol is a substance produced using a complex process that
when mixed with water, becomes an alcoholic beverage. It has undergone
little testing and has not received any approval or recommendation for
safe and responsible consumption by experts at the FDA.
We do not have to look any further than the risks and cases of abuse
associated with powdered caffeine to see how much of a problem powdered
alcohol would be for our state. Like powdered alcohol, powdered
caffeine is unregulated by the FDA, easily accessible, and frequently
consumed in quantities that far exceed a healthy, recommended dose. In
large enough quantities, powdered caffeine can even result in death.
Unfortunately, we had an 18-year-old here in Ohio die as a result of
overdosing on powdered caffeine just hours before his high school
graduation.
Imagine the same scenario, but instead, with powdered alcohol. From
misunderstandings on the appropriate level of powdered alcohol to
intentional experimentation with the substance, users of powdered
alcohol could quickly find large quantities of alcohol in their blood
stream. This would cause impairment at high and dangerous levels with
devastating consequences. That’s not to mention the cases where our
underage population would be exposed to this product, the ease with
which they might obtain it for their own consumption and exploration,
or the compounded problem of someone stepping behind the wheel under
the influence of powdered alcohol.
In all, there are too many dangers associated with this untested,
unrestricted, unproven and unregulated product. Ohio can lead the way
in protecting its citizens and take necessary precautions with this
substance by banning its sale within state borders. That is why I am
sponsoring this legislation and why I will continue working to secure
its passage into law.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchydecember2014.
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