Drawing attention to the issue of fake alcohol and methyl alcohol poisoning due to the recent increase in deaths resulting from fake alcohol consumption, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker said, “Methyl alcohol is used by illegal producers in fake alcohol production because it is cheaper than ethyl alcohol.”
Büyüker stated that “deaths and poisonings due to illegally produced bootleg alcohol consumption have been steadily increasing in recent years,” emphasizing that when methyl alcohol is ingested orally, it is absorbed very quickly in the stomach, and approximately 25-30 ml of methyl alcohol intake can lead to permanent blindness, while 100 ml can cause death.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker, Head of the Pharmacy Services Program at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vocational School of Health Services (SHMYO), evaluated the issue of fake alcohol and methyl alcohol poisoning due to recent deaths resulting from fake alcohol consumption.
Time to apply to emergency services is crucial in methyl alcohol poisonings
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker stated that toxic disasters related to methyl alcohol lead to death worldwide, adding, “In our country, methyl alcohol, which is cheaper than ethyl alcohol, is sometimes used to produce low-cost alcoholic beverages, and this leads to poisonings and even deaths. In methyl alcohol poisonings, the time patients apply to hospital emergency services and the early diagnosis of methyl alcohol poisoning are of great importance. Furthermore, the patient's access to treatment resources such as hemodialysis plays a critical role.”
Methyl alcohol is used as a solvent in industry
Emphasizing that methyl alcohol is a type of alcohol frequently used in illegal liquor production and exhibiting toxic effects, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker said, “These effects, though sometimes temporary, can lead to permanent damage and even death. This type of alcohol, used as a solvent in various industrial sectors, is not suitable for beverage production. However, because it is cheaper than ethyl alcohol, it is used by illegal producers in fake alcohol production. Especially in entertainment venues and restaurants where alcohol is sold, it is not possible for individuals to understand whether the drink they consume is fake. Moreover, people's desire to prepare their own drinks at home can also lead to poisonings. This is because, most of the time, they do not have the knowledge to distinguish whether the alcohol they purchase is ethyl alcohol or methyl alcohol, and therefore, they may consume drinks prepared using methyl alcohol.”
People lack sufficient information about the dangers of fake alcohol
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker noted that people's lack of sufficient information about fake alcohol causing death or permanent toxic effects like blindness, and the similar properties of both types of alcohol, lead to the consumption of fake alcohol. She stated, “In recent years, deaths and poisonings due to illegally produced bootleg alcohol consumption have been steadily increasing. Therefore, early diagnosis and initiation of treatment are required for patients admitted to emergency services. Antidote therapy and hemodialysis application are life-saving in the treatment of methyl alcohol poisoning.”
25-30 ml of methyl alcohol intake causes permanent blindness, 100 ml causes death
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker, stating that exposure to methyl alcohol poisoning usually occurs orally, but can also happen through inhalation and dermal routes, continued as follows.
“When methyl alcohol is ingested orally, it is absorbed very quickly in the stomach. Approximately 25-30 ml of methyl alcohol intake can lead to permanent blindness, while 100 ml can cause death. Clinical findings related to methyl alcohol poisoning vary according to the form and dose of exposure. Ethyl alcohol is used as an antidote in methyl alcohol poisoning. To diagnose poisoning, supportive tests should be performed. A definitive diagnosis can be made by measuring methanol levels in the blood, but this may not always be possible.”
How to recognize poisoning from fake alcohol?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker stated that while poisonings may initially begin with classic signs of intoxication and drunkenness, specific poisoning symptoms can develop in later stages. She indicated that some of the clinical findings of methyl alcohol poisoning include intoxication, gastrointestinal disorders, visual impairment and blindness, abdominal pain, vomiting, pancreatitis, altered consciousness, seizures, coma and central nervous system depression, kidney failure, myocardial dysfunction, and cerebral hemorrhage.
Under-the-counter producers must be prevented!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker concluded her remarks by stating that it is important to properly inspect businesses selling alcohol, and to prevent and penalize individuals engaged in under-the-counter production of alcohol to prevent methyl alcohol poisonings. She added, “Furthermore, individuals need to be informed that producing their own alcoholic beverages at home for consumption is dangerous.”