November 19th 2024.
Methanol is a dangerous substance that can have deadly effects on the human body. In South-East Asia, the issue of methanol poisoning has been a major concern for the past decade. Unfortunately, the number of deaths and hospitalizations from consuming too much methanol is only increasing. This was highlighted when two teenagers from Melbourne were recently put on life support after they supposedly consumed the substance.
But what exactly is methanol? How is it made? And how can you tell if you've consumed it? These are important questions to consider. Methanol is a clear liquid chemical that is used in a wide range of everyday products such as plastics, paints, cosmetics, and fuels. However, it is also commonly added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the type of alcohol found in most drinks.
According to Leigh Schmidtke, a Professor of Oenology at Charles Sturt University, consuming high levels of methanol is extremely dangerous. In fact, even drinking less than 25 ml of methanol can be fatal. Schmidtke explains that methanol poisoning is a common problem in South-East Asia, where home distillation is popular. He says that the methanol is usually not intentionally added to drinks, but rather it is a result of the homemade fermentation and distillation process.
One of the biggest challenges with methanol poisoning is that it is difficult to distinguish it from ethanol, the safe type of alcohol found in drinks. Schmidtke says that specialized equipment is needed to tell the difference between the two, and even if you were to compare a thimble full of methanol and a thimble full of ethanol side by side, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
There have been several tragic incidents related to methanol poisoning in recent years. In 2011, 29-year-old Michael Denton died in Bali after he was found unconscious in his hotel room. It was later discovered that he had been killed by methanol poisoning, which likely came from a locally brewed drink. Another incident involved Jamie Johnston, a nurse who was rushed to intensive care after unknowingly drinking a cocktail laced with methanol in Bali. It took her six weeks to recover her ability to speak.
In 2013, Perth man Liam Davies died after drinking methanol-tainted vodka on Indonesia's Gilli Islands. He had received incorrect treatment for methanol poisoning in Lombok before being medically evacuated to Australia, where his family made the difficult decision to turn off his life support. And just recently, two teenagers from Melbourne, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, were hospitalized in Laos after a suspected drink-spiking incident involving methanol. They continue to fight for their lives on life support.
It is clear that consuming methanol can have serious consequences. The rise in methanol poisoning cases is a cause for concern and highlights the need for more awareness and education about the dangers of this substance. As always, it's important to be cautious and aware of what you are consuming, especially when in unfamiliar places. So, if you are ever in doubt about a drink or beverage, it's better to be safe than sorry.
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