What is spurious liquor?

Spurious liquor , or hooch, is the locally manufactured inferior quality alcohol that is usually made from cane sugar and has a high concentration of methanol. Methanol, an industrial solvent, increases alcohol content because of its antifreeze quality, but it can also be fatal in high quantities.

Why do people opt for spurious liquor?

There are two major reasons why people choose to drink hooch or spurious liquor.

How does fake liquor affect your body?

Methanol and ammonium nitrate, both commonly found in spurious liquor, can harm your body if consumed in high concentrations. The effects on your body might include: Headaches and dizziness/vertigo Abdominal pain Vomiting and convulsions Feeling faint Being unsteady Blacking out The more severe consequences include: Blindness Heart irregularities Liver and respiratory disorders Metabolic acidosis and kidney failure Loss of memory Coma Death

How is alcohol poisoning treated?

Ironic as it may be, the only antidote to alcohol poisoning is, well, alcohol. Diluted ethanol or fomepizole is used to counter the effects of methanol poisoning by preventing it from turning into toxins and excreting it from the body.

And how do you get to know which alcohol is contaminated?

While there’s no clear way to tell which alcohol might be fake, contaminated, or poisonous, the best practice is to avoid consuming any alcohol that: Is not bought from a reliable store Is not of a reputed brand Is not sealed properly Doesn’t mention the alcohol content on the bottle Smells weird

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5 Die in Bihar After Consuming Spurious Alcohol: What Makes Hooch So Dangerous?

While tragic, hooch poisoning isn’t uncommon in many Indian states.

Garima Sadhwani

Published: 24 Jan 2023, 1:00 PM IST

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On Monday, 23 January, five people reportedly died in Bihar’s Siwan due to suspected hooch poisoning. While tragic, hooch (spurious liquor) poisoning isn’t uncommon in many Indian states.

What makes spurious liquor so dangerous? FIT explains.

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5 Die in Bihar After Consuming Spurious Alcohol: What Makes Hooch So Dangerous?

While tragic, hooch poisoning isn’t uncommon in many Indian states.

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Topics: Health Hooch tragedy Spurious liquor