Methanol Institute’s Commitment to Bootleg Alcohol Prevention

MI continues to work hard to combat methanol poisoning through the dissemination of poisoning prevention and first aid information across the globe.

SINGAPORE, November 22, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Methanol Institute (MI) is concerned and saddened to learn of what appears to be a bootleg alcohol poisoning incident in Laos, which as of now has tragically cost the lives of 6 people who are believed to have died due to consuming alcohol illegally tainted with methanol.

MI, the trade association for the global methanol industry, continues to work hard to combat methanol poisoning through the dissemination of poisoning prevention and first aid information across the globe in a variety of languages. MI and our member companies commit significant resources to ensuring the safe use and handling of methanol throughout the global supply chain.

In 2012, MI established educational programs aimed at preventing methanol poisoning from production, consumption, and distribution of illegal and bootleg (counterfeit) alcoholic beverages. MI has worked with global partners in at-risk markets to protect consumers from adulterated alcoholic beverages, and raise the awareness of law enforcement agencies and policy makers across the globe to the threat posed by adulterated alcohol.

“Methanol is a clean-burning biodegradable fuel used for powering vehicles, ships, and industry and a chemical building block for hundreds of useful products that touch our daily lives. The sale of bootleg alcoholic beverages either poorly distilled or intentionally spiked with methanol by criminal gangs, is dangerous and illegal and must be stopped,” said MI CEO Gregory Dolan.

MI regularly reaches out to the relevant health authorities when we become aware of bootleg poisoning incidents in order to share prevention and first aid information that can be disseminated to the affected community in the local language.

While even small amounts of methanol in spirits is potentially fatal, successful treatment of methanol poisoning is possible if it can be diagnosed within 10-30 hours of ingestion. Important bootleg alcohol poisoning prevention and first aid information, including infographics and an educational video on methanol poisoning produced by Médecins Sans Frontières is available on MI’s website HERE.

Lawrence Navin
Methanol Institute
+1 703-248-3636
email us here