Baltimore Statement on Dangers of Powdered Alcohol
Powdered alcohol is a concentrated powder that contains approximately 55% alcohol by weight. It can be easily carried and concealed and then mixed with water to reconstitute.
The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved labeling and distribution of powdered alcohol in April of 2014. Within two weeks, it reversed this decision. Then, in March 2015, the Tax and Trade Bureau suddenly approved the product labels—essentially approving powdered alcohol for widespread sale and distribution.
As pediatricians, emergency physicians, and public health leaders, we have grave concerns over the sale and use of this product. In Baltimore, alcohol is already the number one drug used by teens, with over half of high school students have tried alcohol, and 1 in 8 teens binge drinking at least once in the past month. Children who first use alcohol at age 15 are four times more likely to have an alcohol use disorder sometime in their life.
Powdered alcohol is easier to conceal, facilitating use by youth. It will make oversight more difficult for parents, teachers, and law enforcement officials. Powdered alcohol may also lead to greater and unintentional alcohol consumption, which can lead to poisoning, motor vehicle accidents, and even death.
As of today, five states (VA, LA, AK, VT, SC) have already banned powdered alcohol before its approval, and at least 22 other states are proposing bans in their legislatures (including AZ, CO, CT, FL, HI, KS, IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, NJ, NY, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, UT, WI, WY).
Please join Baltimore’s health department and our region’s leading pediatricians and emergency physicians to protect our children and all of our residents from this dangerous substance.
Leana S. Wen, M.D. Commissioner Baltimore City Health Department | Steven J. Czinn, MD Chairman of Pediatrics University of Maryland School of Medicine; Physician-in-Chief, University of Maryland Children's Hospital | G. D. Kelen, M.D., FRCP(C), FACEP Director, Department of Emergency Medicine Johns Hopkins Medicine |
Michael Crocetti, M.D. Chief of Pediatrics Johns Hopkins Community Physicians | Brian J. Browne, M.D. Professor and Chairman Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine | Jean Silver-Isenstadt, M.D., Ph.D. Executive Director National Physicians Alliance |
Joseph Wiley, M.D. Chief of Pediatrics Sinai Hospital | Mahmood Jaberi, M.D. President Baltimore City Medical Society | William Jaquis, M.D., FACEP Chief of Emergency Services, LifeBridge Health |
Michael Langbaum, M.D. Chief of Pediatrics University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center | William B. Jordan, M.D. President National Physicians Alliance | David D. Hager, M.D., FACEP Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine MedStar Harbor Hospital |
Michael G. Burke, M.D. Chairman of Pediatrics Saint Agnes Hospital | Kevin H. Scruggs, M.D., FACEP Chief of Emergency Medicine MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital | Susan Chaitovitz, M.D., FAAP President, Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics |
Joneigh Khaldun, M.D. Chief Medical Officer Baltimore City Health Department | Susan Dulkerian, M.D. Interim Chair of Pediatrics Mercy Medical Center | Pascal Crosley, D.O. Chairman of Emergency Services St. Agnes Hospital |
Tina Cheng, M.D. Chair of Pediatrics Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center | Esti Schabelman, M.D., MBA Asst. Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Chief of Emergency Medicine, Bon Secours Hospital Baltimore | Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D. Associate Dean Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |
Patrick Chaulk, M.D. Assistant Commissioner Baltimore City Health Department | Tyler Cymet, D.O., FACP, FACOFP Chief of Clinical Education, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine; President of MedChi, Maryland State Medical Society | Gregory Branch, M.D., MBA, CPE Director, Health and Human Services; Director, Department of Social Services; Health Officer and Director, Department of Health |
Laurel G. Yap, M.D. Director of Pediatrics Harbor Hospital | David H. Jernigan, Ph.D. Associate Professor Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |
References
Albers, AB, Siegel, M, Ramirez, RL, Ross, C, DeJong, W, and Jernigan, DH. Flavored Alcoholic Beverage Use, Risky Drinking Behaviors, and Adverse Outcomes Among Underage Drinkers: Results From the ABRAND Study. American Journal of Public Health. 2015;105(4):810-815.
Bouchery EE, Henrick J, Harwood HJ, Sacks JJ, Simon CJ, Brewer RD. Economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in the United States, 2006. Am J Prev Med. 2011;41(5):516-524.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol-Related Disease Impact Software. 2012; http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DACH_ARDI/Default/Default.aspx. Accessed 19 March 2015.
Grant, B.F. & Dawson, D.A. Age at the onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse. 1997;9:103-110.
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/cdp/SitePages/youth-risk-survey.aspx Accessed 19 March 2015.
National Conference of State Legislatures. Powdered Alcohol 2015 Legislation. http://www.ncsl.org/research/financial-services-and-commerce/powdered-al... Accessed 19 March 2015.
