Gujarat Hooch Tragedy: What Is Hooch And What Makes It Poisonous

After the tragedy came into the light the matter is being seriously discussed in the country, the Gujarat Hooch Tragedy is under investigation, here is all you need to know about Hooch.

Seized liquor bottles being crushed in Surat, July 20, 2020

Source : PTI

More than 40 people have died due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Gujarat, a state where prohibition is in force. Nearly 50 people are still admitted to hospitals. Police said the bootleggers mixed water with methyl alcohol and sold it to people as country-made liquor. The incident brings back to focus the menace of illegally produced alcohol, popularly called hooch or country liquor.

What Is Hooch Or Illicit Liquor 

According to Cambridge Dictionary, "hooch" is an illicitly brewed alcohol. The word "hooch" came from the Hoochinoo Indians of Alaska (a small tribe in southern Alaska). 

To understand what is illicit liquor, it is better to understand the differentiation between alcohol (alcoholic beverages) and illicit alcohol. 

Alcoholic beverages are produced by fermenting sweet and starchy materials and then distilling the resulting mixture to enhance the alcohol content. They contain alcohol or ethanol, which are the active components.

While illicit liquor refers to any alcoholic beverage produced without a license. It is typical to employ raw materials that are below par and frequently laced with additional chemicals.

What Makes Hooch Or Illicit Liquor Poisonous? 

As per an article by BBC titled, “Who, What, Why: Why are Indians dying from alcohol poisoning?”, we could derive the following answers to what makes hooch poisonous; 

Under uncontrolled circumstances, the desired ethanol can be produced along with methanol or methyl alcohol.

Illegal brewers sometimes add industrial methyl alcohol or denatured spirit (a combination of ethanol and methanol) to reduce expenses and with the false idea that doing so will boost potency.

Methyl alcohol has a high toxicity level; 10 ml can result in blindness, and 30 ml can result in death within 10 to 30 hours. Taste and fragrance are similar to those of ethyl alcohol.

What Is The Treatment Available After The Consumption Of Hooch? 

Fomepizole and ethyl alcohol are used as antidotes to prevent the metabolism of methyl alcohol, allowing it to flow through the body over time. Haemodialysis is necessary for advanced treatment to eliminate hazardous chemicals from the bloodstream.