“Methanol can get into bar drinks because it is a byproduct of backyard fermentation. So in normal industrial ethanol production, by drinking alcohol, the methanol is actually eliminated.

“But in this case, poor production procedures or lax standards resulted in methanol being used in alcohol intended for consumption.”

Dr. Gee has previously treated patients with methanol poisoning.

“As we have heard recently in some cases, the worst outcome is death.

“We had a patient several years ago, a tourist who had come from Bali and had been drinking and flew to Christchurch.

“As soon as she arrived in Christchurch she started feeling unwell. Her heart was racing and her vision was starting to fail, so she came to the hospital for treatment.

“She ended up in intensive care, very close to death, and was left permanently blind, which is a very sad outcome for her. »

If anyone thinks they have ingested methanol, they should get help immediately, Dr Gee said.

“If you are in a foreign country, you need to know where you can get help.

“But one of the first relief measures you can do is get some legal alcohol – so legal alcohol without methanol – which can actually temporarily stop acid production and save you time until you can get to a hospital where they are dialyzed in intensive care.”

Mostly, methanol is introduced in an effort to reduce costs, Dr Gee said.

“The most likely way for a tourist to mix methanol into their drinks is to have a cocktail for a cocktail at a bar in one of these countries.

“In these countries, bars often replace commercially produced alcohol with contraband alcohol because it is cheaper.”

At first, a methanol effect may seem like the usual effect of alcohol, but it can quickly change.

“When the body ingests methanol it first thinks it is like ethanol, you will feel intoxicated, maybe slightly high, but as the body converts the methanol to acid, You will feel sicker and sicker.”

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