OH GREAT
Another legal way to
drive a Lethal Weapon on our roadways!
We have cell phones,
texting, drugs, alcohol and now we must add powdered Palcohol and caffeine
What is a Lethal
Weapon
1. Of or causing
death; deadly; fatal.
2. Made to cause
death.
3. causing great
harm; disastrous.
4. Automobile
5. Train
6.Plane
Alcohol and caffeine
take new forms
Powdered gelatin was
invented in 1845, powdered fruit drink in 1928. Given the success of Jell-O and
Kool-Aid, it’s strange that it took this long for powdered alcohol to show up.
But “Palcohol” is
soon to be on the market, joining another ill-advised product, powdered
caffeine. Both are highly concentrated forms of legal substances that carry
substantial health risks. Lawmakers should move to ban both.
The inventor of
Jell-O, when applying for a patent, called his substance “portable gelatin.”
Similarly, the man behind Palcohol touts its portability and markets it like a
health drink. “Palcohol is a boon to outdoors enthusiasts such as campers,
hikers and others who wanted to enjoy adult beverages responsibly without the
undue burden of carrying heavy bottles of liquid,” the website says. (Have
these people not heard about flasks?) It’s likely Palcohol will appeal more to
teenagers and alcoholics than mountain climbers, who are more inclined to pack
kale smoothies than bourbon and Coke. Its size and weight make it easy to hide;
its portability screams potential for abuse.
Even worse is
powdered caffeine, blamed for at least two deaths and dozens of
hospitalizations for erratic heartbeat, seizures and vomiting. One teaspoon
supplies the jolt of 25 cups of coffee. As a dietary supplement, powdered
caffeine doesn’t need Food and Drug Administration approval, but in December
the agency asked consumers to shun it because of the danger of overdose.
Several U.S.
senators recently asked the FDA to ban sales of powdered caffeine, and the
agency wants consumers to report adverse reactions. Palcohol should be banned
outright, as six states have already done.
Tribune News Service
As a dietary
supplement, powdered caffeine doesn’t need Food and Drug Administration
approval, but in December the agency asked consumers to shun it because of the
danger of overdose.