Health: Powdered Alcohol Approved For Sale By Federal Government, But Some Critics Want It Banned

By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Powdered alcohol, palcohol, has been approved for sale by the federal government. It's touted as being convenient, but there are plenty of critics. One Senator wants it banned nationally.

Instant cocktails were designed for traveling or outdoor activities, being lighter than having to carry a liquid. While the federal bureau that controls alcohol has approved it, lawmakers in states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, want local bans against powdered alcohol.

Just add water and shake, it's as simple as that. Thirty seconds later, the powdered alcohol is a cocktail, ready to drink. Palcohol is the brainchild of Mark Phillips. Four varieties have won government approval. Each pouch is roughly equivalent to one mixed drink.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer is a palcohol prohibitionist. He wants it outlawed.

"When you drink regular alcohol, beer, wine, hard liquor, it's in liquid form you can't ingest that much that quickly. But when it's powdered form, you can ingest a whole lot and do real damage to yourself," says Sen. Schumer.

Critics also worry powdered alcohol could be used to spike drinks or even be snorted for a quicker buzz.

Phillips counters that each packet contains only enough alcohol to fill just one shot glass and that it would take an hour to snort it all. "It really burns to snort it. Really uncomfortable. Because it's alcohol. As you would if you sniffed liquid vodka -- it would burn like crazy," Phillips says.

He claims the liquor industry is against the powdered product, because it might hurt business. Phillips asks, "Why do we want big government telling us what we can drink and what we can't drink? We don't need a nanny government telling us what we can do."

He hopes to have palcohol packets available on store shelves and on the line this summer. No word on pricing. People will have to be 21-years-old to buy it.