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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Tennessee moves to ban “dangerous” powdered alcohol despite federal approval

Olive Martini.
Olive Martini.
photo Palcohol, made by inventor Mark Phillips, is crystalline alcohol that can be mixed with water to create cocktails in flavors such as Cosmopolitan, Margarita and Lemon Drop. The feds have approved the substance, which is more portable than traditional alcoholic beverages.

NASHVILLE – Don’t ask for superdry martinis in Tennessee.

State lawmakers are moving to ban sales of powdered alcohol, approved this week by federal regulators, before the product even hits the shelf this summer.

The inventor, Mark Phillips, says crystalline alcohol can be mixed with water to create cocktails in flavors such as Cosmopolitan, Margarita and Lemon Drop. He calls his product “Palcohol.”

Lawmakers call it dangerous.

“Now it can be sold anywhere and our youth will have access to this,” warned Senate GOP Caucus Chairman Bill Ketron, the bill’s sponsor. “There is no way to tax it, there’s no way to control it. And we want to stop it before it gets here.”