Squiz Shortcuts - Methanol poisoning

Your Shortcut to methanol poisoning

Last week, Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died after drinking alcohol laced with methanol. They were among the 6 people who died from the same suspected mass poisoning in Laos, while others have become seriously ill. So in this Shortcut, we’ll look at:

• what’s known about what happened in Laos

• what methanol poisoning is

• and how prevalent it is around the world.

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What were Bianca and Holly doing in Laos?
The girls were 19yo besties who went to high school and played AFL together in Melbourne. They were on what their families called their “dream gap year” backpacking through Southeast Asia when they fell seriously ill after drinking alcohol laced with methanol.

Where did this happen?
On a night out 2 weeks ago in Vang Vieng, which is a tourist town in central Laos on the SE Asian backpacker trail… They were staying at the Nana Hostel - the same place as the other 6 travellers who died. 

What happened to the girls?
They were taken to hospital by hostel staff one at a time on the back of a motorbike. They were evacuated to Thailand and kept on life support for over a week. Bianca died on Thursday, and Holly on Friday.

Who were the other travellers who died?
They’ve been named as British lawyer Simone White, 2 Danish women Anne-Sofie Coyman and Freja Sorensen, and an American man James Hutson. At least 8 others have fallen ill - but experts say the actual number is likely to be higher, as a lot of cases don’t end up being reported. 

What did they drink?
Reports say the group could’ve been drinking a cheap, locally produced brand of vodka called Tiger. A 700ml bottle costs less than $1 in Laos… 

How do we know this?
At least one other British backpacker staying at the Nana hostel has reported coming down with methanol poisoning after drinking free shots of Tiger vodka offered by the hostel staff. She says she was saved by the quick actions of her partner, who drove her straight to hospital, and that she’s just gone through “the worst 2 weeks of my life.”

Are the police investigating?
Yes… Reports say they’re carrying out inspections of the alcohol being served at bars and hostels in the town, including at the Nana. The owner of the hostel has been questioned by local police, but no charges have been laid… The AFP has also agreed to help local authorities with the investigation. Bianca’s father Mark Jones has called on the Laos Government to “investigate this to the fullest extent to make sure it never happens again.”

Is methanol poisoning a new thing?
No. Methanol is used to cut costs where local producers skip the step of filtering out the methanol when making homemade ‘bootleg’ spirits - something commercial alcohol producers are required to filter out.

What’s the problem with drinking methanol?
It’s highly toxic for humans… It’s used in industrial products like household cleaners, paint strippers and antifreeze. The result of a single shot or just 30ml of it can be fatal. And here’s the kicker - you can’t smell, see, or taste it.

What does it do to humans?
Once it’s in your body, it turns into a toxin called formic acid which attacks your organs. You might start to feel symptoms like dizziness, vomiting and blurred vision within 6-12 hours - left untreated, the poison can lead to multi-organ failure, kidney damage and blindness. Patients can end up in a coma, like Bianca and Holly did, and the death rate is between 20-40%.

How commonly does it happen?
International medical humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontiers (aka Doctors Without Borders) has tracked almost 13,000 suspected deaths linked to methanol poisoning since 1998 around the world - that includes 394 deaths in the past year. 

Where does it happen?
Nearly half of those deaths were in Indonesia, but it’s a problem that’s predominantly linked to developing countries and places that have relaxed alcohol regulations. Think Thailand, Bali, Laos and Cambodia, as well as Costa Rica, Mexico and Turkey.

Are there steps people can take to stay safe?
Yep…Medecins Sans Frontieres advises travellers in those areas to stick to buying commercially produced alcohol that’s been professionally sealed, bottled or canned from licensed bottleshops and bars.

So say no to happy hour cocktails? 
They say it’s best to resist the temptation of cheap, homemade liquor or liquor that’s been poured by a stranger/given away for free.

That sounds wise… 
It sure does. 

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