Perceptions of Powdered Alcohol and Intentions to Use: An Exploratory Qualitative Assessment of Potential Palcohol Use by Young Adults

John Stogner,Taylor Chick,Timothy Brown,Julie Baldwin

doi:10.3390/beverages1040329

Abstract

While there seems to be growing media intrigue over atypical forms of alcohol use, the utilization of the majority of novel consumption methods (e.g., eyeballing, slimming, alcohol without liquid (AWOL)) seems minimal. In 2014, however, several outlets suggested that powdered alcohol would soon surface as a threat to public safety. The impetus of these fears was the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s approval for Lipsmark LLC to package a powdered alcohol product named “Palcohol”. Palcohol has yet to reach store shelves, but public outcry has been intense. Despite this reaction, little is known about whether the population will consider Palcohol a suitable alternative to traditional alcohol, particularly given its excessive predicted cost. In an exploratory effort to assess perceptions, use intentions, and fears related to Palcohol, 31 young adults were asked to view a 16-minute video about Palcohol and answer a series of questions about Palcohol, including whether and how they intend to use it. Results suggest that young adults intend to experiment with Palcohol following its release, but they have a number of concerns. While few expect to become habitual users of the product, many believe it will enable people to utilize alcohol in settings where its consumption is prohibited.

Highlights

Novel alcohol consumption has consistently garnered attention from media sources over the last five years (e.g., [1,2])
In 2014, several media outlets turned their attention to a new threat, suggesting that powdered alcohol would soon surface as a major impediment to public health and safety
Willingness to consume Palcohol did not seem to be contingent on gender as 60% of males and 50% of females offering a firm answer to the question stated that they would try Palcohol

Summary

Introduction

Novel alcohol consumption has consistently garnered attention from media sources over the last five years (e.g., [1,2]). While sensationalized stories of unique alcohol consumption methods such as “eyeballing”, “slimming”, or AWOL (alcohol without liquid) are initially met with pubic curiosity, they are often short lived with news outlets quickly turning their attention to the and latest potential panic. The majority of these methods appear to be rarely utilized by young adults and fail to have a significant impact on public health [3] ( there appears to be growing evidence of eyeballing vodka in the United States and Europe [4]). The product has yet to reach store shelves in the United States, but public outcry has been intense and led several states to proactively ban any powdered alcohol product [5].

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Results

Conclusion