From November 24 to December 7, 2022, The health secretary, Alejandro Gómez, affirmed that, in the capital of the country, unfortunately there is a presence of three types of drinks that have claimed the lives of 16 people and 28 people have been intoxicated for the consumption of this type of beverage, of which two presented samples of methanol.
The official assured that “Among the drinks identified are: “Cabañita”, “Rey de reyes” and “Old John” and that just one drink of more than 15 cubic centimeters, that is, a glass of brandy, is very difficult to save a patient in a health center, since methanol causes the effects quickly.”
Gomez stands out the importance of the media when transmitting the consequences of this type of alcoholic beverages with this problem, which apparently is propagated by the black market.
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Furthermore, in dialogue with RCN Radio, the secretary assured that “in these three types of liquors the presence of methanol could already be identified by means of a public health laboratory and we are in the process to locate where it expires to carry out the process allowed to avoid the risk to people”.
Although, to the problem is added, highly likely, that in some cases there is a history of people with problematic alcohol usethey buy this type of substance in irregular markets, not exactly in a store, but on the black market.
“The risk is more difficult in this condition because we are going to all establishments, shopping centers and outlets, but that is not where these types of adulterated beverages are being found, They are really in the irregular sales that do not have a proper establishment and that is why the complaint of citizens2 is so important, exclaimed the secretary of health.
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It should be noted that among the symptoms when ingesting adulterated alcohol is that a condition similar to intoxication occurs, similar to a drunkenness, then there may be loss of vision if consumption was abundant, gastric cleansing should be carried out and liver or kidney failure may even occur to the point of death.
These brandy or rum aperitifs are found in the market for prices that vary between $10,000 and $20,000. Some are even marketed for prices of up to $4,000. Most of them are in presentations of 357 milliliters with a concentration of 19.5% alcohol.
