Media Contact: Summar Thomas-Mosby, IMPACT Garland Coalition Coordinator
Phone: 214-766-8969
Email: smosby@dpri.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
(Garland, Texas) — More than 30 states have banned “Palcohol” or powdered alcohol as a prevention measure under the advisement of public health experts. Texas remains one of three states in which Palcohol will be available for purchase if the state legislature does not take measures to prohibit its sale.
The American Medical Association (AMA) supports state and federal laws banning Palcohol in the United States. AMA stated that the product could “cause serious harm to minors and should be banned.”
“Alcohol is the number one substance of abuse among young people,” says Becky Vance, president and CEO of Drug Prevention Resources. “To add another alcohol product, in the form of flavored powder that is virtually undetectable and has an unknown potency level, is not only irresponsible but reprehensible.”
The product can be snorted or combined with other alcoholic products, further increasing its potency. Palcohol is packaged in a way that makes it easier for youth to access, carry, and consume, increasing the potential for its dissemination in classrooms and other social settings.
IMPACT Garland and IMPACT Communities, programs of Drug Prevention Resources, believes that it is important to be proactive rather than reactive. Increasing community education and awareness about substances like Palcohol is the first step in preventing youth substance use disorders.
Drug Prevention Resources unites students, families and communities in a common desire to power change and flourish in positive, drug-free environments. For more information, visit DrugPrevResources.org.
