Methanol Is Killing Tourists — How to Stay Safe from Tainted Alcohol While Traveling

Mar. 15, 2025

Bottles of assorted alcoholic beverages.Photo:monticelllo/Getty

monticelllo/Getty

A string of deaths linked to tainted alcohol has sparked concern among health officials across the world.

Their deaths came just a few months after six tourists — including an American man — died in Laos in November 2024 afterdrinking alcohol that authorities suspected was tainted with methanol.

These outbreaks range from 20 to more than 800 victims, with fatality rates of over 30% in some instances.

Here’s what to know about tainted alcohol and how to stay safe.

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What is methanol and why is it being found in alcohol?

Methanol — typically found in antifreeze, varnishes, and fuels — is a colorless, watery liquid, according to theU.S. Centers for Disease Control.

While methanol can be inadvertently produced during the brewing process, it’s often deliberately and illegally added to counterfeit drinks to help increase the alcohol content at a cheaper cost.

“Some illicitly-produced drinks are made to appear legitimate through bottle design and labelling and consumers can be misled into believing they are buying a genuine brand of alcohol,” the World Heath Organization warned.

The widely available chemical can mimic the feelings of inebriation, though consumption can cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle paralysis and death, the agency said.

Bottles of alcohol at the bar.letty17/iStock

How can you stay safe while traveling?

TheWorld Health Organizationsuggests people inspect bottles of alcohol for signs of tampering like broken seals. Bottles with poorly printed labels or spelling errors can also be signs that the drink is counterfeit.

Travelers should also be suspicious of alcoholic drinks that are very cheap or offered in informal settings that are not licensed to sell alcohol. These drinks can be purchased at markets in unlabelled containers, as well as in illegal drinking venues.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning resemble over-consumption of alcohol, like nausea, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and vomiting.

“Fatal cases often present with fast heart rate (tachycardia) or slow heart rate (bradycardia) and an increased rate of respiration,” the CDC says. “Low blood pressure (hypotension) and respiratory arrest occur when death is imminent.”

Anyone who suspects they may have consumed tainted alcohol should seek medical attention immediately. Methanol poisoning can usually be treated successfully if it’s diagnosed within10 to 30 hoursafter ingestion and the patient is admitted to the hospital.

source: people.com