New Trend: Teens Distilling Hand Sanitizer to Get Drunk
- Posted on April 25, 2012 at 6:16am by
Liz Klimas
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A YouTube video shows this teen drinking from a bottle of hand sanitizer. When he's done he asks "Can I die from that?"
There’s a product common in many households has some teens turning to it as source of alcohol with a proof as high as 120 — and it doesn‘t involve unlocking their parent’s liquor cabinet. It’s the hand sanitizer that could be sitting next to the bathroom sink, in the kitchen or even in their backpack.
The Los Angeles Times reports six teens in California’s San Fernando Valley were hospitalized in the last two months after being poisoned by imbibing alcohol from this source. The Times reports some teens are “distilling” the gel substance intended to rid hands of germs, drawing out the 62 percent ethyl alcohol using salt. Here’s what experts are saying about the problem:
“All it takes is just a few swallows and you have a drunk teenager,” said Cyrus Rangan, director of the toxicology bureau for the county public health department and a medical toxicology consultant for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “There is no question that it is dangerous.”
[...]
“It is kind of scary that they go to that extent to get a shot of essentially hard liquor,” Rangan said.
The Times goes on to report that while doctors were not surprised that teens were turning to strange substances to get a high, the sanitizer was a new one. Last year, there were no such cases reported in emergency rooms. Still, many have noted the disturbing amount of YouTube videos showing teens drinking the gel. Here’s one such video where the teenager asks his friend — after drinking the mini bottle — “Can I die from that?”:
This local news channel in Michigan shows the extent of the YouTube footage in its report on the trend:
If you’re a parent concerned about keeping hand sanitizer in the house, experts have said the foam version makes it much harder to extract the alcohol compared to the gel variety.
[H/T Gizmodo]
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MammalOne
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 3:04pmBack in my day, we just smoked pot.
Report Post »blaaaaackwoman
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 1:40pmThe best high I ever had was putting a shovel full of dog poo in a brown paper bag and then closing it over my face and breathing very deeply and fast. Woof woof, I communicated with the dog spirits that day.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 11:57amThe FDA, CDC and supplier of Purell has known about this problem and threat for years and chosen to ignore it. The biased towards alcohol based sanitizers based on a presumption that by its nature alcohol cannot be contaminated was proven wrong by the tainted alcohol wipes which were discovered in 2011. Non-alcohol hand sanitizers are superior for a number of reasons ranging from higher kill rates and a broader array of bacteria, viruses and fungi, much much gentler on the skin and clinically proven residual effectiveness for up to 4 hours. The high level of alcohol is necessary because it starts to evaporate immediately upon hitting the air. In most cases the percentage of alcohol falls below the amount necessary to kill germs. Not surprising that large companies like Johnson and Johnson, GOJO, etc. would work hand in hand with the FDA and CDC to reinforce alcohol sanitizer use and limit competition. Capitalism at its best.
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 12:59pmKids are going to get high no matter what you do. They can huff gas,glue,paint,buotane,freon,snort over the counters speeds, eat a box of dramamine,the list goes on and on. All these are more destructive to the body and mind of children and can easily cause death.The problem is liberal douches like yourself trying to child proof the world . Fact is legalizing marijuana would allow kids to at least get high in a safer way. Or leaving the raising of children with the parents and getting government off the private property that is a man’s castle. I remeber being 12 and having a beer with my dad on his john boat in his freinds private pond. It was a bond experience and one I’ll carring with me to death. Or the first time I got to have a glass of wine at thankgiven I believe I was 11. But liberal douches like yourself would have him arrested today for doing something every parent should do with their kids.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 11:37amIn Michigan… they are using Bath Salts to get High… and local Bans are in effect for sales.
Libertarians say: Water always finds it’s own level… so, why Ban it… rather just flush the toilet!
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 25, 2012 at 11:32amah yes the extent we will go for a buzz
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