Safety - Methanol Poisoning: A Silent Killer
Methanol poisoning - a dangerous practice where methanol is added to drinks - poses a serious risk to travelers. It may be added to spirits increase profit margins, as it mimics ethanol (the drinkable form of alcohol) in both appearance and initial taste. Methanol poisoning can cause permanent injury or even death, making it crucial to understand the risks, recognize symptoms, and know how to respond.
What Is Methanol Poisoning?
Methanol is a toxic alcohol to humans via ingestion due to metabolism. If as little as 10 ml of pure methanol is ingested, for example, it can break down into formic acid, which can cause permanent blindness by destruction of the optic nerve, and 30 ml is potentially fatal, although the median lethal dose is typically 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) (i.e. 1–2 ml/kg body weight) of pure methanol.
Where Does it Happen?
Don’t be fooled by the news headlines, which will have you believe methanol poisoning only happens in Asia. Below is the most recent list of reported incidents; although it’s widely thought methonal poisoning events are significantly under-reported:
List of Methanol Poisoning Incidents by Country
Antarctica
Rodney Marks fell ill on May 11, 2000, and died 36 hours later from methanol poisoning. The cause remains unknown.
Australia
2013: Three deaths and one case of partial blindness from a home-made beverage.
1997: Two deaths and two survivors in Central Australia after drinking methanol-laced alcohol.
Brazil
1999: 35 deaths in Bahia due to contaminated cachaça with up to 24.84% methanol.
Cambodia
2012: 49 deaths and over 300 hospitalizations from methanol-tainted rice wine.
Costa Rica
2019: 25 deaths from methanol poisoning.
Czech Republic
2012: 38 deaths in the Czech Republic and four in Poland from methanol-contaminated alcohol.
El Salvador
2000: 122 deaths linked to low-quality liquors adulterated with methanol.
Estonia
2001: 68 deaths and 43 disabilities in Pärnu from bootleg liquor made with stolen methanol.
India
Over 2,000 deaths from methanol-tainted moonshine in the past three decades.
Notable incidents: 1986 (108 deaths), 1987 (200 deaths), 2015 Mumbai poisoning, 2019 Assam poisonings, and 2022 Gujarat poisonings.
Indonesia
Methanol-laced arak linked to numerous fatalities.
Iran
2013: 694 hospitalized, eight deaths in Rafsanjan from methanol poisoning.
2020: Nearly 300 deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic due to myths about methanol curing the virus.
Ireland
2014: Two men died in County Donegal after drinking methanol-tainted poitín.
2017: Severe poisoning in Dublin from counterfeit vodka containing methanol.
Italy
1986: Methanol-tainted wine scandal resulted in 23 deaths and numerous injuries.
Laos
2024: Five tourist deaths in Vang Vieng from methanol-laced drinks.
Libya
2013: At least 51 deaths in Tripoli from methanol poisoning.
Madagascar
1998: 200 deaths from methanol poisoning.
Malaysia
2018: 45 deaths from counterfeit liquor with methanol levels up to 50 times the permissible amount.
Mexico
2020: 35 deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic due to methanol-contaminated alcohol.
Morocco
2022: 21 deaths in Ksar El Kebir.
2023: Nine deaths in Meknes.
Nigeria
2015: 66 deaths in Rivers State from methanol-laced ogogoro.
Norway
2002–2004: 17 deaths linked to methanol-contaminated liquor from southern Europe.
Peru
2022: 54 deaths in Lima from fruit-flavored vodka laced with methanol.
Philippines
2018: Multiple deaths from lambanog (palm liquor) containing methanol.
2019: At least 23 deaths from methanol-laced palm liquor.
Russia
2005: 34 deaths in Magadan.
2016: 72 deaths in Irkutsk from counterfeit bath lotion.
2023: At least 30 deaths in the Samara region from contaminated cider.
Serbia
1998: 43 deaths from rakia containing high methanol levels.
Spain
1963: Officially, 51 deaths and nine cases of blindness from methanol-laced mixed drinks.
Turkey
Frequent incidents, including 44 deaths in 2020 and 22 deaths in 2021 from methanol-laced drinks.
Uganda
2010: 80 deaths from methanol-adulterated waragi.
United States
1963: 31 homeless deaths in Philadelphia from Sterno ingestion.
2016: Two high school students in Tennessee died from methanol in "Dewshine."
2018: One death in Massachusetts from methanol-laced alcohol sold online.
Symptoms
Methanol poisoning can be insidious because the symptoms may take time to manifest, often appearing 12 to 24 hours after ingestion. Initial symptoms can include:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Blurred or reduced vision (sometimes described as “snowstorm vision”)
Abdominal pain
If untreated, methanol poisoning can lead to more severe complications, such as:
Blindness
Seizures
Coma
Death
Items that may contain methanol include varnishes, shellacs, paints, windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, tobacco smoke and adhesives. Improperly produced home-made distilled spirits may contain dangerously high levels of methanol. Even a small amount of methanol can be lethal. The delay in symptoms often causes victims to underestimate the seriousness of their condition.
How to Protect Yourself
It is impossible to determine if a drink contains methanol through taste or smell. If you had a thimble of methanol and a thimble of ethanol on a table, they would look the same, smell the same and taste the same. If you can’t abstain, then below are a few ways to help you stay on the safe while away:
Avoid locally brewed/ home-brewed spirits - Jungle juice, rice wine, mango and pineapple rum,
Consume canned drinks only - it’s extremely difficult to tamper with a canned drink
Stick to fizzy alcohols or beer - the fizz will go the minute a carbonated drink is opened, so again, this makes it hard for them to be tampered with
Don’t buy from souvenir shops/ roadside stalls - such places are unlikely to have quality standards
If it’s too cheap to be true, it is! - Even fancy resort happy hours are known to serve tampered spirits in their drinks. Tampering can happen at any stage along the chain of purchase/ delivery, and slick operators even re-seal and label original brand-name bottles!
Avoid ‘bucket cocktails’ - Backpacker bars and local ‘bush bars’ are common culprits for poisonings. Don’t think you’ll be OK just because others are indulging.
What to Do if Someone Has Been Poisoned
If you or someone you’re with shows symptoms of methanol poisoning:
Seek Immediate Medical Attention:
Methanol poisoning requires urgent treatment. Call emergency services or go to the nearest hospital.
Administer First Aid:
If ethanol is available, small amounts can be given under medical advice because ethanol competes with methanol for metabolism in the body, reducing its toxicity. However, this is only a temporary measure and not a substitute for professional care.
Monitor Symptoms:
Keep the person awake and hydrated if possible, but avoid giving them food or other drinks.
This isn’t New!
Methanol poisoning is a hidden but serious threat that can turn a dream vacation into a nightmare. By understanding the risks, recognizing symptoms, and taking preventive measures, you can reduce your vulnerability to this danger. Stay vigilant, prioritize your safety, and always trust your instincts when it comes to consuming alcohol abroad. Knowledge and caution can save lives; yours or someone else’s.
