Dive Brief:
- News broke yesterday that Palcohol, a product that consists of alcohol in a powdered state, had been approved for sale by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (ATTTB).
- The story spread rapidly through the press and social media -- and much of the reaction was one of disbelief. Palcohol is seen by many people as a potentially dangerous product.
- Then, late last night, a spokesperson for the ATTTB told reporters that the approval announcement was made in error, and that regulators would not allow sales of the powder.
Dive Insight:
Powdered booze isn't new. It's sold in Japan, among other places. But it is unavailable in the United States, and perhaps for good reason. That's why many were worried when they first saw the news that Palcohol had been approved by regulators.
Now that the feds have backpedaled and said that the decision was an error, we have to ask the obvious question: What were those people drinking? (Or eating?)