The story so far: As of 10 pm on May 16, as many as 22 people had died after consuming spurious liquor in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu while 30 others were still being treated at hospitals. The incidents occurred late last week, barely a month after the state government said that it had brought such deaths under control. They are also tinged with an element of surprise because liquor sales in Tamil Nadu are wholly controlled by the state, with more than 5,300 outlets. Its government is currently in the process of closing 500 outlets.
What is the alcohol in liquor?
Liquor is differentiated by its alcohol content – from the 5% or so of beer to the 12% or so of wine to the 40% or so of distilled spirits (all by volume). In the beverages consumed for recreational purposes, the alcohol in question is almost always ethanol. Technically, in this context, ethanol is a psychoactive drug that, in low doses, reduces the level of neurotransmission in the body, leading to its typical intoxicating effects.
