What you need to know about powdered alcohol

Lori Grisham | USA TODAY Network

The "Tang" of alcohol may arrive soon in a store near you.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved a new product Wednesday called Palcohol. It's a dried form of alcohol that can be mixed with water to create liquid alcohol. Some have compared it to the sugary, orange-flavored powdered drink Tang.

How does it work?

One packet of Palcohol equals one shot, according to the company's website. Each packet weighs 1 ounce and turns into liquid when mixed with 6 ounces of water.

What flavors will be available?

The Phoenix-based company plans to release five flavors: vodka, rum, cosmopolitan, powderita (which is like a margarita) and lemon drop.

When does it hit the market?

The product is expected to be available in stores starting this summer, according to the website.

Why make powdered alcohol?

The creator of Palcohol, Mark Phillips, wanted to create an alcohol that would be lightweight and easy to carry on-the-go, Phillips told USA TODAY Network.

"When I hike, kayak, backpack or whatever, I like to have a drink when I reach my destination. And carrying liquid alcohol and mixers to make a margarita for instance was totally impractical," Phillips says in a video he posted on YouTube.

In addition to having a drink on a camping trip, there's also other applications for the product.

"We've had many medical people contact as about using it as a antiseptic especially in remote locations," he said. It could also be used an alternative fuel source, according to Phillips.

"It would not be the exact same product, but the science to create powdered alcohol would be applied the same way," he said.

Are there risks?

Concerns over safety have already led several states, including South Carolina, Louisiana and Vermont, to ban powdered alcohol and other states are considering legislation, KPNX-TV in Phoenix reported. Some critics are concerned people may try to snort the powder or mix it with alcohol to make it even stronger or spike a drink.

"We anticipate that allowing powdered alcohol onto the market will have grave consequences for our nation's young people," David Jernigan from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told USA TODAY Network in a statement.

Powdered alcohol can be concealed and therefore easier for youth to access and consume, he said.

"If used as intended, it's as safe as alcohol," Frank Lovecchio, the co-medical director of the Banner Good Samaritan Poison and Drug Information Center, told KPNX-TV. However, people rarely use things as intended, he added.

"It's very easy to put a couple packets into a glass and have super-concentrated alcohol," Lovecchio said.

Phillips dismissed concerns saying that they don't make sense if you think it through.

"People unfortunately use alcohol irresponsibly. But I don't see any movement to ban liquid alcohol. You don't ban something because a few irresponsible people use it improperly," he said. "They can snort black pepper. Do you ban black pepper?"

How is it made?

Palcohol has a patent pending and the company will not share any information about the process, according to Phillips.

Contributing: Monique Gregio, KPNX-TV

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