North Country Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, is praising a ban on the sale of any powdered or crystalline alcohol products, after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today signed a bill he sponsored.

Griffo, R-Rome, thanked the Governor for approving this legislation, which Griffo believes will help keep yet another potentially dangerous substance out of the hands of minors and other people who might abuse it. New York now joins several other states that have already passed similar legislation, including Alaska, Louisiana, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.

In 2014, the manufacturer of Palcohol sought federal approval to market their product. Earlier this year, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approved revised labels allowing the product to legally be sold in the United States, unless otherwise prohibited. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that the use of ingredients in Palcohol was in compliance with their regulations, and they did not, at that time, have legal basis to block this item from being sold.

"For every substance or drug that has been abused by people in our communities, we often look back and ask ourselves if there is anything we could have done differently to prevent a wave of addiction from reaching the point of no return. By now making it illegal to sell powdered alcohol in the state of New York, this law signed today gives us that rare proactive opportunity to avoid exposing our most vulnerable to one more substance that could have a detrimental impact on their lives," Griffo said.

Powdered alcohol – which has been marketed as “Palcohol” – is a powder that when mixed with 6 ounces of liquid, creates the equivalent of a standard mixed drink.

Griffo says a serious risk with powdered alcohol is that multiple packets could be misused to form one single, possibly lethal drink. It could also increase the chances of underage drinking and substance abuse.

"We are all well aware of the unfortunate price that is paid when our children and our communities are gripped by substance abuse and addiction – promising lives are shattered, stable homes are turned upside down, and neighborhoods are left searching for solutions. So with that risk, there is absolutely no need whatsoever to introduce another form of alcohol that could only make it easier for minors to abuse,” Griffo said.

Griffo represents the 47th Senate District. It includes a swath running through the middle of St. Lawrence County, from Massena to Fine, including Potsdam.