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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.

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.”
— Gregory Dolan, CEO, Methanol Institute
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, July 22, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Methanol Institute (MI) is concerned and saddened to learn of a spate of recent bootleg alcohol poisoning incidents, including an ongoing incident in Costa Rica in which 19 people 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. Today, MI is working 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 chemical building block for hundreds of useful products that touch our daily lives and a clean-burning biodegradable fuel used for powering vehicles, ships, and industry. 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 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.

Lawrence Navin
+1 703-248-3636
Methanol Institute
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