Three people died and one is permanently blind after drinking hand sanitizer in New Mexico

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Three people died and one is permanently blind after drinking hand sanitizer in New Mexico.

Three people died and one is permanently blind after drinking hand sanitizer in New Mexico | CNN

An additional three people are in critical condition. "All seven people are believed to have drunk hand sanitizer containing methanol," health officials said.

www.cnn.com

Richard

 

[PigsDad]

Darwin Award candidates.

Kurt

 

[Luanne]

Yeah, this was in our paper today. The take away should be "don't drink hand sanitizer" which should be obvious. However, it also seems the poison can be absorbed through the skin and I'm betting the person who was blinding probably used the hand sanitizer, then touched their eyes.

 

[bnoble]

I'm betting the person who was blinding probably used the hand sanitizer, then touched their eyes.

Unlike ethanol (the stuff folks normally drink), methanol can blind you when you consume it.

 

[Luanne]

Unlike ethanol (the stuff folks normally drink), methanol can blind you when you consume it.

Thank you. I was not familiar with the effects. I was just guessing, or assuming.

 

[Snazzylass]

Darwin Award candidates.

Kurt

Hardly.

And not trying to single you out b/c it does not appear that any poster read the article. Alcoholism. That is why they were drinking it the first place. Surely most of us here are old enough to recall the heartbreaking story of what Kitty Dukakis drank.

Apparently hand sanitizer is not generally made with methanol. This hand sanitizer was imported and not US produced. It's possible that we have laws against this in the US.

 

[pedro47]

An alcoholic will try everything to get a cheap high. But hand sanitizer does make any sense to me. IMHO.

 

[Luanne]

An alcoholic will try everything to get a cheap high. But hand sanitizer does make any sense to me. IMHO.

The number one ingredient in most/many hand sanitizers is alcohol. We bought some hand sanitizer (here in New Mexico) from a distillery.

 

[pedro47]

Now I understand. Alcohol was the number ingredient as and it was a clear liquid.

 

[bnoble]

An alcoholic will try everything to get a cheap high. But hand sanitizer does make any sense to me. IMHO.

That might be because you are not an alcoholic.

One of our local distilleries started making hand sanitizer (out of ethanol, not methanol) during the pandemic. I've been sober for a minute now, but when I first opened a bottle of that stuff the smell hit me, and I was thirsty in a way I hadn't been in a while.

 

[PigsDad]

Hardly.

And not trying to single you out b/c it does not appear that any poster read the article. Alcoholism. That is why they were drinking it the first place. Surely most of us here are old enough to recall the heartbreaking story of what Kitty Dukakis drank.

Apparently hand sanitizer is not generally made with methanol. This hand sanitizer was imported and not US produced. It's possible that we have laws against this in the US.

I definitely read the article, and I will still stand by my post. The Darwin Awards are given to those who do something so idiotic such that it takes them out of the gene pool. I definitely think drinking hand sanitizer makes them a prime candidate for such an award. Whether they are alcoholics or not.

Kurt

 

[Snazzylass]

I definitely read the article, and I will still stand by my post. The Darwin Awards are given to those who do something so idiotic such that it takes them out of the gene pool. I definitely think drinking hand sanitizer makes them a prime candidate for such an award. Whether they are alcoholics or not.

Kurt

I am not ill informed about the definition of your derogatory term, but apparently you are ill informed about alcoholism.

Sometimes I think this forum should be renamed, SMUG.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Also, Mexican hand sanitizers have been recalled in the USA for using Methanol. Think about it, if a person gets severely drunk, then the next morning they get a hangover. What is one of the symptoms? Temporary pain in/behind the eyes. Well, Methanol affects the eyes but far more serious.

Simply put, if you are looking to buy hand sanitizer, look at the ingredients. If it says Ethanol/Ethyl Alcohol (two names for the same product) or Isopropyl Alcohol, they're safe on your skin. If it says Methanol or Methyl Alcohol, let the store know they have been recalled and do not buy.

TS