Chronicle Editor
IT’S the silly season, but let not your character be swayed by cheap “dollar deals”. We all like to bargain and of course silliness is in our human nature.
Everybody is in a festive and happy mood and is seeking to save. There is an influx of fake products, coupled with drugs and substances.
Every once in a while we want to experience a little inebriation but let it not be at the expense of your health. There are a lot of street corners selling various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
They are all offering the same bargain or deals. But the bargain comes with a risk. Before purchasing some of these beverages, we stop, think, calculate and scrutinise the product.
Criminals are now producing counterfeit alcohol, which often contains substances such as antifreeze, nail polish remover and even paint stripper. This is according to a good friend of mine, African Distillers Limited Southern region manager Nhlonpeng Ncube.
He said there are many risks and dangers of counterfeit beverages that can cause cancer and organ failure, due to the nature of the ingredients used.
“Fake alcohol can cause blindness and organ failure and can even lead to death. The reason fake alcohol is so dangerous is because it is often produced using toxic chemicals that are simply not safe to drink,” says Ncube.
Genuine and legally made alcohol products contain the chemical ethanol, which can be drunk safely in moderation. In my research I was also made aware that counterfeiters will look to cut costs by substituting ethanol with cheaper and possibly toxic substances.
Counterfeits that have flooded the market and are mostly sold on the streets are imitations of elite bottles such as Jameson, Jack Daniels, Gordons Gin . . . well the list is endless. I spoke to a few bar owners around the city who said the bargains people seek will end their lives. They said people should weather the storm rather than die of cheap products. The reason bars and clubs set prices is because they are licensed and are constantly regulated and monitored.
Fake alcohol causes a lot of health risks and the symptoms of poisoning from fake alcohol include confusion, loss of co-ordination, nausea, vomiting, irregular or slow breathing and loss of memory.
There are easy steps to spot fake alcohol and the most prominent or easiest is the packaging. For you to survive this bane only buy your alcohol from reputable and licensed retailers, bars and supermarkets. Do not buy alcohol from door-to-door salespeople, unlicensed market traders or from customers in bars.
If the product is being sold well below its normal price, or doesn’t seem to include normal taxes on liquors, then it is probably fake. Check for poor quality packaging, spelling mistakes and unusually shaped bottles. Look for the contact information and address of the manufacturer. If it is missing, the alcohol is fake. Inspect the seal on the bottle. If the seal is broken or damaged, then the contents might have been interfered with and are not safe to drink.
If you have an app on your mobile that scans barcodes, scan it and see if it’s listed as the correct product. Beware of bad smells! If it smells like paint stripper or nail polish remover, then it probably is! If it contains particles or sediment, or the contents have separated in the bottle, then the product is likely to have been thinned with tap water.
If you notice any of these warning signs do not drink it!
If you think you or a friend have drunk fake alcohol, you need to seek medical attention. If you think you have seen fake alcohol for sale, do not buy it. Report the product and the vendor to the police or standards authority.
Till next week, have a blissful and tipsy weekend.
If you have an establishment and think your drink has what it takes to be profiled, WhatsApp me on 0772337433. REMEMBER alcohol is not for sale to persons under the age of 18 and let’s not forget to drink responsibly.
Online Reporter