Do you know? Illicit Liquor, often unregulated and contaminated, poses significant health risks, including poisoning and even death.
Imagine over 6 billion litres of alcohol! In 2024, the amount projected to be consumed by Indians is a staggering increase compared to 2023. While alcohol consumption has a long and colourful history, woven into celebrations, mourning rituals, and social gatherings, many of us overlook the fascinating world behind our drinks.
In this article, we will explore the production processes, diverse terminology, and even the science of what’s in your glass. While alcohol consumption is common, the rise of illicit liquor is particularly concerning.
Unlike regulated drinks, illicit liquor is often contaminated, leading to a higher risk of poisoning and even death. Factors contributing to the higher consumption of alcohol include the rise in disposable income and the growth of the urban population.
This unregulated market weakens communities by fueling crime, straining healthcare, and damaging families. But with this newfound knowledge comes an important question: how can we enjoy alcohol safely?
We’ll address both the allure and the dangers, including the risks of illicit liquor. Let’s look into the specific challenges posed by consuming illicit liquor.
What is Liquor?
Throughout history, people have enjoyed fermented beverages. The earliest evidence comes from China around 7,000 BCE, where people made alcoholic drinks from rice, millet, grapes, and honey.
This process of fermentation, where sugars are converted to alcohol by yeast, is the foundation for all alcoholic beverages. Later, distillation, a process that concentrates alcohol content, was developed. This led to the creation of “liquor,” a specific type of alcoholic beverage typically exceeding 40% alcohol by volume (ABV).
In India, liquor is made by distilling fermented agricultural products like grains or fruits. This distinguishes it from drinks like beer or wine, which are produced through fermentation alone and have a lower ABV. The FSSAI defines “alcoholic beverages” as any drink containing more than 0.5% ABV, encompassing both liquor and fermented beverages.
How is Liquor Prepared?
In the early days, beverages were prepared through the process of fermentation. During fermentation, the sugar present in overripe fruits attracts microorganisms called yeast, which produce ethanol, a type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.
Ancient fermented beverages had relatively low alcohol content. At about 13% alcohol, the by-products wild yeasts generate during fermentation become toxic and kill them. When the yeasts die, fermentation stops, and the alcohol content levels off.
For thousands of years, alcohol content was limited. That changed with the invention of a process called distillation. 9th-century Arabic writings describe boiling fermented liquids to evaporate the alcohol in them. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, so it evaporates first. Capture this vapor, cool it down, and what’s left is liquid alcohol, much more concentrated than any fermented beverage.
What is Illicit Liquor, and How is it Different from Licit Liquor?
India boasts the world’s fastest-growing liquor market. However, government restrictions on imports have driven up domestic liquor prices. This price gap, combined with the complete ban on alcohol sales in Gujarat, has fueled a dangerous market for illicit liquor.
These unregulated alternatives are often low-priced and lack quality control, leading to adulteration with harmful substances, including heavy metals like lead and arsenic, along with potentially deadly sedatives like benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
These illicit liquors, or non-commercial alcohol, go by many names in the market, such as moonshine, bootleg, or local illicit. As this liquor is not manufactured in a commercial setting, it often goes unrecorded. Hence, it is out of government regulation and is not taxed.
This unrecorded alcohol is often consumed by more vulnerable populations, such as people of low socio-economic status, rural populations, and people with alcohol dependence.
The biggest health concern with illicit alcohol is consumer exposure to health risks associated with toxic additives. These substitutes do not comply with sanitary, quality, and safety regulations and are contaminated with hazardous chemicals.
According to the WHO, “consumption of illicitly or informally produced alcohol could have negative health consequences due to higher ethanol content and potential contamination with toxic substances, such as methanol.” Methanol in particular has a strong causal connection to morbidity and mortality; it can result in decreased consciousness, poor coordination, vomiting, abdominal pain, permanent blindness, and death. Let’s uncover the world of illicit liquor and understand the hidden dangers it poses.
Types of Illicit Liquor
Counterfeit Alcohol
Counterfeit alcohol is prepared in unlicensed distilleries, such as at home, to be sold. According to food safety standards, it is a cheap form of alcohol and contains harmful chemicals.
Here, alcohol is made to look like a genuine brand but is not. It may contain hazardous substances, such as methanol, which is a non-drinking alcohol used for industrial purposes and can be found in products like paint remover. Consuming methanol can lead to breathing difficulties, liver damage, or even death.
Non-duty-paid Alcohol
Alcohol smuggled into the country without paying taxes is considered non-duty-paid alcohol. It is illegal to buy or sell this kind of alcohol, and hence it falls under illicit alcohol.
Toxicants in Illicit Liquor
Inferior distillation processes used by counterfeiters can introduce hazardous chemicals into the liquor. These illicit liquors often contain dangerous contaminants in addition to alcohol. These include:
- Formic acid: Found in some antiseptic medical surrogates, it can disrupt the body’s pH balance, worsening the effects of alcohol poisoning.
- Methanol, Lead, and Other Heavy Metals: These can cause blindness, organ damage, and even death.
- Aflatoxins: Toxins produced by certain fungi found in crops such as maize, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts.
- Cyanide: These potent carcinogens can be present in contaminated grains used for fermentation.
- Acetaldehyde: Contributes to the carcinogenicity of ethanol. Studies from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine found that people poisoned by drinking industrial alcohol had traces of harmful substances in their bodies, including isopropanol (used in rubbing alcohol), acetone (found in nail polish remover), fusel alcohols (unpleasant byproducts of fermentation), and unidentified alcohols with unknown risks.
The dangers of illicit liquor go far beyond the bottle. Its trade fuels criminal activity like smuggling and undermines legal markets, creating a dangerous cycle that harms communities and economies.
Harmful Impacts of Alcohol Consumption
As discussed, consuming illicit alcohol has several negative consequences. Irrespective of chemical additives, alcohol itself poses risks to human life.
Alcohol is a harmful drug that can impact almost every part of our body, including the brain, heart, and bones.
Short-term Effects
- High heart rate
- Recklessness
- Delayed reaction time
- Blurred vision
- Depressive effects on the mind and body
- Vomiting
- Indigestion
Long-term Effects
- Damage to the nervous system
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Pancreatitis
- Liver disease
- Liver cancer
- Mouth cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Breast cancer
- Bowel cancer
- Depression
- Dementia
- Sexual problems, such as impotence or premature ejaculation
- Infertility
- Brain damage, leading to problems with thinking and memory
Consuming illicit alcohol can also lead to alcohol poisoning. Signs of alcohol poisoning include confusion, vomiting, seizures, slow breathing, pale or bluish skin, cold and clammy skin, and unconsciousness. If you notice such symptoms, seek medical help immediately.
Further, the National Family Health Survey found a correlation between alcohol consumption and domestic violence. According to its 2015-16 report, 71% of women with frequently alcoholic husbands experience physical and sexual violence.
Alcohol consumption will not only affect your health, but it can also lead to crimes, broken families, and social disorders.
How to Identify Genuine Liquor?
Liquor can be examined in a laboratory to check for quality and to identify duplicate samples sold in the market. To check for hazardous chemicals in alcohol, numerous laboratory tests can be performed. For example, Schiff’s test can identify the presence of methanol, while copper and iron tests can detect those metals. Other tests include those for furfural, gas chromatography, etc.
However, there aren’t any definitive, safe, and simple tests a common person can perform at home to identify fake liquor. Here are a few supportive arguments:
- Fake Liquor Mimics Real Liquor: Producers often mimic the look, smell, and even taste of real liquor, making basic visual or taste tests unreliable.
- Deceptive Ingredients: Dangerous additives like methanol may not have a distinct smell or taste.
- Chemical Tests Can Be Dangerous: Some tests involving household chemicals can be hazardous if done incorrectly.
For safety, here are some observations to make while at the store or before consuming liquor:
- Check for Tampering: Ensure the bottle has a label and the seal is intact. Do not purchase any broken bottles.
- Reputable Source: Purchase liquor from licensed stores with a good reputation. Avoid buying from unknown vendors or suspicious locations.
- Price: Beware of very low prices.
- Verify Tax Stamps: Many regions have mandatory tax stamps on liquor bottles. If it’s not there, it’s illegal.
- Visual Check: Vodka should look completely clear, with no white particles or sediments.
- Smell Test: Avoid drinking if it smells bad.
Additionally, an app called “mLiquorSaleCheck” is available on Android, allowing users to scan the barcode and verify the authenticity of liquor purchased in the Union Territory of Delhi.
Responsible and reputable liquor companies take great care to keep their goods safe. However, those who produce counterfeit goods have no regard for health or welfare. When in doubt, throw it out! It’s better to be safe than risk serious health problems from consuming fake liquor.
Safe Practices to Enjoy Alcohol
According to the WHO, there is no safe amount of alcohol that does not affect your health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen. The more you consume, the greater your risk of cancer.
Celebrating with friends and family often involves drinks, a custom with a long history. While enjoying a drink can be fun, it’s important to be mindful of the potential risks. Here are tips to minimize the downsides:
- Keep Your BAC Low: Aim to keep your blood alcohol concentration below 0.06%.
- Eat Before Drinking: Do not drink on an empty stomach.
- Sip Slowly: Try not to exceed one drink per hour.
- Avoid Mixing with Medications: Alcohol can enhance the effects of medicines.
- Avoid Shots: Shots contain around 40% alcohol.
- Never Drink and Drive: It’s dangerous and illegal.
Seek Help if Needed: If you have trouble controlling your intake, consult your doctor.
Takeaway
The consumption of illicit liquor presents a grave threat to human health and well-being. The lack of quality control allows for dangerous toxins, leading to severe consequences, including poisoning, organ damage, addiction, and even death.
The hidden dangers within these unregulated drinks far outweigh any perceived benefit. Raising awareness about these risks and promoting a healthy life.
Also Read: What Does A Life Without Sugar Look Like?
