Tainted alcohol poisonings in Laos - steps you can take to stay safe
Following the tragic news coming out of Laos this week, Safer Tourism Foundation is offering guidance on how to keep yourself and others safe when travelling.
As of this morning (22 November 2024), six tourists have died in Laos after drinking methanol tainted alcoholic drinks. There is no question that what has happened in Laos is a tragedy and every parent's worst nightmare.
Travelling should be a joy, and most of the time, it is. However, as with everything in life, there are risks. Our remit is to save lives and prevent serious harm or injury for UK travellers, both at home and abroad. We would certainly never discourage people from travelling, but we want them to come home in at least as good a condition as when they left.
The risks of tainted alcohol are not isolated to any one hostel, village, city or country - it can and does happen in places around the world. Incidents have been reported in the last five years in Mexico, Bali, India, Turkey and Peru, to name a few. So it's worth being aware of this risk wherever you travel and to take action to keep yourself save.
Methanol is a highly poisonous substance and even in small doses, it can be lethal. It’s typically used in cleaning products, but it is sometimes illegally added to alcoholic drinks as a cheap way to make them go further.
Our advice is to be sensible, to take a moment and think, and look out for a few red flags:
Spirits tend to be the main culprits - vodka, gin or cheap cocktails are high risk.
If drinks or shots are being offered for free, think twice. Or walk away!
Only buy alcohol from licensed bars or restaurants and avoid anything 'home-made'. While it might be tempting to go for an 'authentic local drink', it's not worth the risk.
If it’s in a bottle, look at the label - any spelling mistakes or lack of a manufacturer’s address are major indicators that something is amiss.
Finally, if it smells or tastes even remotely wrong, it's a massive red flag.
Drink Aware and Interpol recommend thinking about the 4 P’s - Place, Price, Packaging and Product. Think about where you get your drinks from. If the drinks are far cheaper than they should be, or offered for free, there's more of a chance they've found an illegal way to cut costs. Check the packaging for any indications it's been tampered with or 'faked'. And finally, if the drink itself smells like paint stripper, it probably is.
Most of us travel with others. Talk to your friends or whoever you are travelling with. If anyone is in the least bit concerned about where you’re drinking, what you’re drinking or who the drinks came from, it’s best to listen to them and go somewhere else.
A free drink is never worth your life.