There’s a new booze of choice among today’s generation of teenagers. It’s not mouthwash and it’s not a few sneaked guzzles from mom and dad’s liquor cabinet. It’s HAND SANITIZER!
Yes, the germ-free, ethanol-based hand sanitizer has become a surprise means of getting a buzz. Poison control centers say consumption of the toxic chemical is filling emergency rooms nationwide and reports of abuse are rapidly on the rise.
The big attraction is its alcohol content, according to Dr. Robert J. Geller, a medical toxicologist and Emory University pediatrician. He says sanitizers “are actually products that are 60% ethanol which means they are 120 proof,” and “if you drink 2 ounces of it, it’s like drinking 3 ounces of 80-proof tequila.” WOW!
Last year, 622 calls were received involving cases where teens had ingested ethanol-based hand sanitizers, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. But already this year, they’ve received 203 calls in only 4 months!
Said one doctor, hand sanitizer has become “the new Vodka” among today’s youth.
<span>I heard about this the other day. Sadly, I can't say that I'm suprised when you consider Our culture. A sizeable portion of the American population has been seeking out different ways to get *HIGH* since at least the 1800s. I'm reminded of the Native American's use of Peyote, and other forms of "medicinal" and social-recreational substances. For me, the bigger question has always been WHY are so many Americans (of any age) in so much pain (mental and emotional) that they will try darn near ANYTHING to escape it? Whether it's huffing toxic chemical vapors, shootin up, snorting, or smoking deadly street drugs, abusing alcohol or prescription meds. </span>