Powdered Alcohol Gets One Step Closer to Selling in US

Sales of powdered alcohol could soon begin in the US as Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved labels earlier this week.

According to ABC News, the bureau approved Palcohol, a powdered form of alcohol which can be mixed with water to fix a drink. Palcohol's parent company Lipsmark LLC is ready to produce powdered vodka, rum, and cocktails. The bureau's latest approval comes after US FDA last summer stated it does not have any concerns with Palcohol.

Given that sale of alcohol is regulated at state level, Lipsmark will have to get clearances from states. While more than a dozen states have laws that could hinder the sale of powdered alcohol, states like California deal with alcohol specifically as a beverage and may not be able to regulate to Palcohol, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Concerns about the use of powdered alcohol mainly revolve around abuse by underage consumers. Health experts have expressed concerns that parents may not be able to discern if their children are consuming alcohol if it is available in sachets. Other fears include it could be used for snorting.

However Palcohol's maker has defended its product. The company maintains that snorting the product brings no gain and can, in fact be painful.