New threat: Smoking alcohol, drinking powdered alcohol

It's not just the drinking of alcohol that's causing concern about its use.

Powdered alcohol and smoking alcohol are beginning to take hold in other cities, and suburban officials say these ways of ingesting the substance are potentially dangerous.

Naperville's liquor commission has proposed bans on powdered alcohol, known as palcohol, and on smoking alcohol, which is the vaporization of liquid alcohol to be inhaled, before they gain popularity in town.

“These two issues have come up because of impending public safety concerns,” said Kavita Athanikar, city prosecutor.

The state already has taken action on palcohol, banning the sale, delivery and purchase of the substance effective Jan. 1. Naperville's proposed ban, which the liquor commission will consider again before sending it to the city council for approval, also would prohibit possession of powdered alcohol by anyone — not just those younger than 21.

Mayor and Liquor Commissioner Steve Chirico said creating a powdered alcohol ban allows Naperville cops to enforce the law instead of depending on state police.

Banning the substance could help prevent people from getting dangerously drunk, officials said.

“You can take an existing alcoholic drink and make it more potent by putting this powdered substance within this drink,” Athanikar said. “It's known as the Kool-Aid for underage drinking.”

Smoking alcohol, meanwhile, is becoming more common on the West Coast, Athanikar said. Alcohol smokers use a device such as a vaporizer or nebulizer to turn regular liquor into a vapor that can be inhaled.

“It's very easy to overdose because the vapor is going directly into the bloodstream,” Athanikar said.

Liquor commission member Diana Williams said she wants to outlaw smoking alcohol before it endangers teens or young adults in a region already burdened by a continuing heroin addiction problem.

“I think it's just a matter of time until we see it more in Naperville, and I have concerns for our youth,” Williams said.

A proposed ordinance would ban sales, delivery and the act of smoking alcohol within city limits for people of all ages. The liquor commission also will review this proposal before it's forwarded to the city council.

Naperville could act to ban smoking alcohol before there is a state law on the subject. If the state regulates smoking alcohol later, Naperville could amend its ordinance to match or be more restrictive than state code.