Powdered alcohol brand given green light

Powdered alcohol brand Palcohol has been approved by a federal regulator and could launch onto the US market this summer.

The product, which comes in a pouch and is intended to be mixed with water to produce an alcoholic drink, was given approval last year by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, who later backtracked and revoked approval.

This week the controversial product was given the green light with four varieties approved; a cosmopolitan, margarita, vodka and rum.

Despite its approval by a federal regulator, many states are moving to ban the product, including Colorado who last month advanced legislation to temporarily halt its sale.

Concerns have included abuse by minors, the potential to snort the powder and whether Palcohol’s light weight would make it easy to sneak alcohol into public events or spike drinks.

In a statement on its website the maker of Palcohol, Mark Phillips, addressed some of the concerns raised about the product, which include potential abuse by minors and if the product could be smuggled into public events where alcohol is banned, or used to spike drinks.

He blamed the liquor industry for stalling the launch of the product, accusing it of wanting to “squash competition and protect their market share”.

“If you want to try Palcohol, you need to contact your legislators to tell them you don’t need the government to be our nanny”, the statement read. “We’re big boys and girls and can decide for ourselves if we want to use alcohol….because that’s all Palcohol is….liquid alcohol in powder form.”

Phillips hopes to start selling the product this summer.