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Man dies after drinking “fake” vodka
An inquest has heard that a man from Worthing has died from methanol poisoning.
A man died after drinking what is thought to have been fake alcohol
Adam Bohm, 49, was found dead in his flat and the inquest into his death heard that three bottles of vodka were found in his home. The bottles are believed to be counterfeit and the source of the methanol.
Drinkers have been warned that counterfeit alcohol can be a serious risk to their health and to stay away from any alcohol they suspect of being counterfeit.
A spokesman for NHS Sussex said: “Fake alcohol is normally produced using cheap types of alcohol which can seriously put your health at risk. Often this can include cleaning fluids, nail polish remover and automobile screen wash, as well as methanol which is used in antifreeze and some fuels.
“Drinking alcohol containing these types of chemicals can cause sickness and vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness.
“It can also lead to kidney or liver problems, coma or permanent blindness, and even death.”
As reported in sb recently counterfeiting is not a new problem, but unscrupulous criminals can create deadly counterfeit drinks by adding methanol to their concoctions. Just 30ml of methanol, which is mainly used for industrial purposes, can prove fatal and drinkers are often unaware of the danger.
In September this year 26 people died as a result of drinking counterfeit vodka and rum, laced with methanol, in the Czech Republic. A shop in Worthing was closed in September after it was found to be selling bottles of Glenn’s vodka containing tert-butanol, which is used as an ingredient in paint strippers and in petrol.
Guala Closures is delivering a seminar into how the spirits industry can fight counterfeits and protect their own brands before the annual Spirits Masters Awards Lunch on Tuesday 20 November at 11am, at The Cinnamon Kitchen, London.
Attendance to the seminar is free. To reserve your place please contact Sheila Crisp on +44 (0) 207 803 2420 or sheila.crisp@thedrinksbusiness.com.