For the Reporter
With support from Gov. Jay Inslee’s office and the state Liquor Control Board, Sen. Pam Roach today said she will pursue a ban on the sale of powdered alcohol in Washington in hopes of keeping the new product out of the hands of children.
In addition to making the possession or use of powdered alcohol illegal for those under 21, Roach, R-rural Auburn, is seeking a total ban on the product. The federal government this week approved the sale of powdered alcohol but is allowing states to regulate the product; powdered alcohol is already banned in four states.
Roach said Inslee’s office confirmed Friday that the governor will sign the total powdered-alcohol ban legislation she has proposed. The state Liquor Control Board is also welcoming her plan.
“We appreciate the support of Senator Roach,” said Liquor Control Board Chair Jane Rushford. “Just as other states have banned this product from entering their marketplaces, we share her concern about the potential public-safety implications that this new product raises in Washington State.”
The state Senate on March 3 had unanimously voted for Roach’s legislation to include powdered alcohol in state laws that regulate the use, purchase, sale and possession of liquor. Senate Bill 5292 makes powdered alcohol illegal for minors; after talks this week with members of Inslee’s staff, Roach says she will also pursue a product ban.
“A ban would not preclude the substance from entering our state,” Roach said. “But, it will help protect young people by making it harder to obtain.
“I am convinced this product could cause harm, even death, to a child if a beverage is spiked with it. There is no way to judge potency with a powder. The goal is to put a bill on the governor’s desk that will protect our children as much as possible. He agrees with me that a total ban is necessary to protect the health and safety of Washingtonians,” Roach said.
Powdered alcohol is a new product that binds alcohol with a certain starch to form a powder; the alcohol is released when the powder is mixed with water. The Arizona inventor anticipates sales beginning in summer, now that federal authorization has been given. Four varieties of the product received approval from the federal government this week.
