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Lisa Graham Keegan: 'Palcohol' and responsibility don't go together

With this past weekend’s announcement by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) that a new product called “Palcohol” has been approved, the idea of “responsible consumption” may literally have been turned to dust — or rather, powder.

According to United Press International (UPI), Palcohol is “an alcoholic powder that comes in flavors including Cosmopolitan and Kamikaze.” You read that correctly. Powdered alcohol, may be coming soon to a store near you.

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has been helping consumers learn more about how their consumption equates to their individual BAC for many years. The good news is these education efforts are based on the latest science. The bad news is a definition of “responsible” consumption with regard to this product has not been established.

Products like this fly in the face of the work Responsibility.org and other organizations have done for decades to educate individuals about responsible alcohol consumption. Sprinkling a powder on to food without understanding its impact on impairment, carrying it into a venue that has chosen not to offer alcohol and consuming it in untested ways can only result in unfortunate consequences.

Responsible product innovation can provide an important platform for understanding consumer preferences and responding to consumer demands, but we don’t see how Palcohol and responsible fit together.

Lisa Graham Keegan

Chair, National Advisory Board, Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility

Education Advocate

*The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) or any Responsibility.org member.*

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