While Palcohol’s powdered alcohol is not even out for sale yet in the United States, many states, including Michigan, are already attempting to ban commercial use of the product. 

Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who is spearheading a bill to ban the use, sale or possession of powdered alcohol, said that the product is not necessary and that he has concerns of it being misused and it possibly leading to more deaths. 

The bill has passed through the full Senate and has been referred to the House of Representatives committee on Regulatory Reform. 

There are 39 states that have legislation introduced to ban powdered alcohol, and several other states have already enacted legislation to either ban or limit powdered alcohol. 

Jones said the substance was brought to his attention by people in the medical community worried about the added risk of alcohol poisoning from powdered alcohol. 

“If someone sits down and drinks a fifth, of alcohol, they know exactly what they are doing to themselves,” Jones said. “But when you can just throw powder on different substances, then perhaps mix it with liquid alcohol also, people are absolutely not going to know how much they’re consuming.” 

Currently, Palcohol’s powdered alcohol is set to release five different types this summer: Vodka, Rum, Cosmopolitan, Powderita and Lemon Drop. All you have to do is add 6 oz. of water to any of these products and it will create the labeled drink. 

When one packet of Palcohol’s powdered alcohol, approximately 29 grams of powder, is mixed with 6 oz. of water, the resulting drink has the same alcohol content as one standard drink. 

Jones was a member of the Eaton County police for 31 years, and in that time, he says he saw many deaths from alcohol poisoning. 

“Alcohol is currently abused, and we have deaths. We recently had a death right at MSU of a college student from alcohol poisoning,” Jones said. “So, having that knowledge and studying this product, I believe powdered alcohol will cause more abuse and more deaths.” 

Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital recently released data from a survey in which they polled adults from around the country about powdered alcohol. The results showed that 90 percent of surveyed adults are concerned about misuse of powdered alcohol from people under 21, 85 percent are concerned it will increase use of alcohol in people under 21 and 81 percent are concerned that it will be easy for people under 21 to purchase powdered alcohol. 

Jones said he has also heard concern from bars about underage kids coming into the bars, ordering water or a soda and mixing in the alcohol, and then the bar being held liable for having “served” an underage person. 

The Michigan License Beverage Association is also strongly against the powdered alcohol, said their executive director, Scott Ellis. 

“Our thought process was ‘Is there a need for this?’ We believe in the experience of the drink at the restaurant or at your own home,” Ellis said. “We just don’t think there’s a need and are concerned with how that would be brought into establishments. It is against the law to bring alcohol into a licensed establishment, it would be hard for our members to monitor.” 

Palcohol’s founder Mark Phillips has addressed some of the concerns of critics on Palcohol’s website. Focusing in on stressing that they believe the risk of powdered alcohol is no greater than any liquid alcohol. 

“Liquid alcohol is easier to conceal, easier to spike drinks and easier to use to binge drink,” Phillips said on their website. “It’s much less expensive and allows someone to get drunk faster, both which appeal to the underage drinker.”

He also said on the website that the argument of it being easier for underage drinkers to get the substance is false. He said, “There’s no way a 15 year old can buy vodka in a liquor store, but it’s easy to buy marijuana on the street. That’s because alcohol is regulated and marijuana is not.” 

The Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers, the Michigan Spirits Association, Associated Food and Petroleum, the chiefs of police and sheriffs and groups of doctors have signed on against the product.