Summary
Four people have died, including 19-year-old Australian Bianca Jones, two Danish women in their 20s, and a 56-year-old US citizen, after suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, a popular backpacker destination in Laos.
Several others, including six British and one New Zealand traveler, remain hospitalized.
The poisoning is believed to be linked to free shots offered at a local bar, prompting warnings from travelers to avoid local spirits.
Authorities fear a mass poisoning, with investigations underway into the source of the contaminated drinks.
Yeah the issue is that methanol mixed with ethanol, which you naturally find in spirits that have been distilled carelessly (or in cost cutting) is less poisonous than pure methanol. Ethanol is actually an antidote to methanol poisoning (although not the preferred one if fomepizol is available) so when they’re mixed you’re less likely to die from it (though you still might go blind, as methanol is acutely toxic to the optic nerve).
In these cases where multiple people died I’m more likely to suspect they were served commodity methanol which is used as a fuel additive and industrial solvent. This stuff is extremely cheap and readily available.
What a tragedy. I feel terrible for these people! My former roommate knew a girl in high school who died from methanol poisoning at a party after some kids found a bottle in somebody’s garage. It’s really terrible.
On a related note, I am struggling to understand why the US still denatures alcohol to intentionally make it fatal for teens. Other countries require that denatured alcohol be dyed and to have terrible bitter flavors added so that it can’t be accidentally confused with a strong liquor. Hell, the Soviets even required this.
The U.S. has a very strong affinity for the Just-World Fallacy. It underlies almost everything you can think of in terms of their laws and beliefs. Many Americans believe in retributive justice, not rehabilitation or restorative justice. Many Americans are also strongly individualist and staunchly opposed to government regulation.
I think a lot of this can be traced back to the US’s founding as a set of colonies leading to the Declaration of Independence. This gives American culture a rugged independence, rebelliousness, and anti-government-intervention.