(kontumtv.vn) – Recently, there have been cases of alcohol poisoning in a number of localities across the country, causing many people to be hospitalized, including some deaths.

Photo caption
The cans of alcohol at Ms. HTC's facility on Do Luong Street, Vung Tau City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, were related to four suspected cases of alcohol poisoning that required emergency treatment at Vung Tau Hospital. Illustrative photo: Huynh Son/VNA

The cause may be due to the use of alcohol of unknown origin, because some establishments buy industrial alcohol and mix it into alcohol. Tests show the toxic content of Methanol in these alcohol samples.

According to the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ), alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks too much ethanol in a short period of time or drinks poor quality alcohol containing methanol (industrial alcohol). Alcohol poisoning is one of the causes of mental disorders, traffic accidents, death...

Alcohol is mainly composed of ethanol, with the chemical formula C2H5OH, while methanol has the chemical formula CH3OH. Both types of alcohol are fermented and distilled. However, while ethanol is fermented from starch or sugar, methanol is fermented from materials containing cellulose (wood). Methanol in alcohol is an extremely toxic substance. Methanol is often used in daily life as a solvent in paint removers, glass cleaners, photocopier inks, etc.

Alcohol poisoning occurs when drinking too much ethanol in a short period of time or drinking too much alcohol containing methanol, leading to too much alcohol in the blood. At this time, the liver cannot excrete it in time, causing liver cell damage, parts of the brain to stop working, along with dangerous complications such as suffocation, epilepsy, hypothermia, irregular heartbeat, and even death.

Methanol is more likely to cause poisoning because the metabolic product of methanol is very toxic formic acid, which is also a major cause of alcohol poisoning, causing damage to cells in the eyes and brain.

Although not as toxic as methanol, ethanol can also cause poisoning when consumed in large quantities in a short period of time, or when abused over a long period of time. People with alcohol poisoning will have symptoms including: Bluish or purple skin, especially around the lips and fingernails; Confusion, slow reactions, inability to walk; Difficulty maintaining consciousness; Hypothermia; Indistinct speech, slurred speech; Vomiting; Slow or irregular breathing; In severe cases, the patient may have convulsions, coma, suffocation, brain damage, and death; Uncontrolled urination; Strong smell of alcohol; Abdominal pain, bloating; Numbness or weakness in one arm, leg, or face.

When detecting someone with the above symptoms, it is necessary to take them to the nearest medical facility for timely treatment to avoid serious complications.

When you discover or suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, take the following first aid steps: Call an ambulance; Call for help, check the victim's condition; Try to keep the victim awake, place the victim in a position with the head elevated.

If the victim is unconscious, lie on their side to avoid the possibility of choking on vomit. If conscious, give the victim water to drink; Use a clean cloth or blanket to wrap around the victim to keep warm; Report to medical staff the initial symptoms and the amount of alcohol the victim drank.

To limit alcohol poisoning, the Food Safety Department recommends:

Production and business establishments must absolutely not produce and trade alcohol mixed from ingredients or alcohol that do not guarantee quality, are not labeled, and do not meet published standards.

Consumers absolutely do not buy and use floating, unlabeled alcohol that has not yet published standards.

Authorities, especially at the commune and ward levels, should strengthen inspections of alcohol production and trading establishments. Violators should be strictly and publicly punished.

BT (Vietnam News Agency)