States Move to Ban Powdered Alcohol Before It Hits the Market

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Food Safety News on 01/20/2015 by Dan Flynn

Lawmakers in several states want to ban a new powdered alcohol product before it’s even available on the market.

“Palcohol” is the brand name for the new powdered alcohol that, when mixed with water, becomes a cosmopolitan, mojito, margarita or lemon drop cocktail. It’s the invention of Arizona entrepreneur Mark Phillips, whose company hopes to hit the market by spring.

Last spring, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, an arm of the U.S. Treasury Department, approved “Palcohol” and then rescinded its approval over labeling issues. Phillips’ company, called Lipsmark, hopes to overcome that hurdle shortly.

State bans may be harder to overcome. Powdered alcohol bans have been introduced in rapid order in states as varied as Colorado, Nebraska, Utah and Wisconsin. The actual number of states that may consider banning the product won’t be known until the deadlines for new bills are reached, but the early trend is clear.