Awareness Group Issues Warnings To Tourists Drinking Alcohol In Bali

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Bali is one of the safest travel destinations in the world.

Despite the high safety rating, there are a number of things that all holidaymakers must be aware of when they visit the island.

From local etiquette to national laws, and from common scams to basic safety measures, here at The Bali Sun, we do our best to keep everyone up to speed on what they need to stay safe on vacation. 

Methanol poisoning is still an issue in Bali. Every year, there are dozens of anecdotal reports of lethal methanol poisoning affecting both locals and tourists alike. Every year, the warnings are reiterated, and as the peak season fast approaches, awareness campaigners are issuing safety updates to tourists.

Methanol poisoning, also known as alcohol poisoning, is a serious and often deadly phenomenon. With fatality rates sitting at 20-40%, and with survivors often left with life-changing injuries, including blindness, it is an issue that must be taken seriously. 

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Doctors Without Borders has warned, “In the past two decades, Indonesia has had the highest number of reported incidents of methanol poisoning in the world. The source of methanol poisoning in Indonesia is most often caused by bootleg liquor, known locally as “miras oplosan” or Arak, a local, illegally brewed coconut flower, rice, and sugarcane-based spirit which can be purchased from unlicensed “bottle-shops”.

The NGO adds, “Over the years, many foreign tourists have fallen victim to methanol poisoning after consuming incorrectly distilled Arak containing methanol in Bali, Lombok, and the Gili Islands. Among the local population, methanol poisoning is even more prevalent due to the widespread production of illicit liquor.”

Doctors Without Borders has a live suspected methanol poisoning reporting map. The live tracker shows that cases are being reported around the clock, not only in Indonesia but across the continent, with India and Pakistan also amongst the most widely affected countries. 

It is not only international NGOs that work to raise public awareness of methanol poisoning, but public campaigners too. Colin Ahearn, from Australia, is familiar with many of Bali’s annual holidays. As the founder of the ‘Just Don’t Drink Spirits in Bali’ Facebook group, Ahearn has surely saved countless lives as a result of his awareness campaigns. He has also been known to visit those affected.

This week, Ahearn has been speaking to the media again about his tips and tricks to help stay safe on vacation and to help reduce the potential for methanol poisoning events in the future.

Ahearn has long advocated that for those who wish to drink alcohol in Bali, stick to beers and wine, skipping hard liquor at all costs, or only consuming that which they purchase duty-free on the way to Bali.

Ahearn is now advocating that those who do drink duty-free spirits trash the labels on the bottles once they are empty to help reduce the risk of the bottle being reused to store and sell illicit booze.

He told YahooNews Australia, “Trash the label, wreck the lid and make it hard for people to sell your bottle. It just makes [reusing the bottle] that little bit harder and less attractive.”

Adding “If you do that, just drink that, then there’s no chance of getting hit with methanol.”

One of the many dangers of methanol poisoning is that it is tasteless. Poisonous liquor can be mixed in with a perfectly normal-tasting cocktail, only to trigger potentially fatal symptoms within hours. 

As explained by Doctors Without Borders, “The toxic dose of methanol depends on the concentration and the treatment provided to an individual. As little as 30ml (about a mouthful) is reported to be the minimum fatal dose for an adult, and 10ml (2 teaspoons) can cause blindness. If left untreated, symptoms typically evolve into visual disturbances, coma, brain damage, and death.” More information can be found at Doctors Without Borders dedicated Methanol Poisoning awareness website.