Powdered Alcohol Legislation Filed

JEFFERSON CITY -- Best wishes for a happy holiday season! My thoughts are with all of you, especially the brave men and women serving on our behalf in the military. It is a busy time in Jefferson City. Legislators are pre-filing bills before the 2016 session begins on January 6th. I recently pre-filed legislation (Bill 1786), which prohibits powdered, crystal, and capsule alcohol to be sold or used in the state. In March of 2015, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approved labels for alcohol, in a dehydrated form, to be added to water to make alcoholic beverages. The approval paved the way for the product to be sold legally in the United States, unless otherwise prohibited. Many US states have already banned it or are looking at the implications. Misuse, such as mixing the product with alcohol or other drugs, instead of water, increases the potency of the product. This is an emerging issue that potentially can affect our young people, schools, emergency personnel, law enforcement and medical facilities. I filed a similar bill last year. It passed in the House, but it was not taken up by the Senate. This year Senator David Pearce filed a matching bill in the Senate on the same day I filed in the House. I look forward to working on this legislation in conjunction with other bills I will be filing and welcome comments from citizens by contacting me at 573-751-5388 or Patricia.Pike@house.mo.gov.