Increase in Alcohol-Related Deaths from Non-Standard Consumption in the Capital; Age Group: Twenty to Forty Years

The Director General of Forensic Medicine in Tehran has reported an increase in the number of deaths due to alcohol poisoning in the province. Mehdi Forouzesh stated, "In the first two months of this year, with 26 fatalities, this number in Tehran has increased by 36.8%." Of these, 22 individuals died due to methanol consumption and four due to ethanol. In the first two months of 2022, 19 people lost their lives due to alcohol poisoning. Simultaneously, the head of the poisoning department at Loghman Hospital has reported an increase in daily admissions for poisoning due to counterfeit alcohol with eye-related complications. Shahin Shadnia mentioned that most victims are in the age group of 20 to 40 years. Recently, deaths from alcohol poisoning in various parts of Iran have once again made headlines, drawing attention to the counterproductive results of the Islamic Republic's alcohol prohibition. Non-standard alcohol consumption has claimed at least 17 lives in Alborz province in the past few days. Meanwhile, many have been hospitalized due to non-standard alcohol consumption. Journalist Maziar Bahari reported that Khosrow Hosseinzadeh, a well-known painter, has been hospitalized for ten days due to consuming methanol-containing alcohol. The dangerous methanol and the rising market for home testing kits in Iran, the prohibition of selling and using alcoholic beverages has led to an increase in the consumption of homemade and illegal alcohol, mainly containing methanol, turning alcohol poisoning into a significant public health challenge in Iran. Homemade alcohol often contains methanol, a toxic alcohol that is industrially used as a pesticide or alternative fuel source. Unlike ethanol, which is safe for consumption, methanol converts to formic acid in the human body; a substance found in ant bites. High levels of formic acid lead to circulatory problems, liver damage, and in some cases, nerve damage, permanent blindness, kidney failure, and even death. A blood level of over 500 mg per liter of methanol can cause poisoning if not treated. The process of methanol poisoning occurs gradually. In the first few hours after consuming methanol, the individual experiences drowsiness and instability. Eventually, these symptoms lead to headaches, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dizziness, with some experiencing shortness of breath and even seizures. Doctors recommend that individuals seek hospital care at the first signs of poisoning. With the increase in cases of poisoning from non-standard alcohol in Iran, social media is flooded with advertisements for home testing kits for toxic alcohol. However, methanol detection is possible in specialized laboratories, and home kits are not reliable for this purpose. Saeed Piyvandi stated: "Victims of alcohol abuse exist everywhere in the world, but in Iran, we have victims of counterfeit alcohol." A tsunami of deaths among citizens due to consuming toxic beverages; from Karaj and the outskirts of Tehran to Hormozgan and Azerbaijan. Deaths from consuming counterfeit alcoholic beverages; Hossein Ronaghi: "It is systematic murder." The increase in alcohol poisoning in Iran; why is homemade alcohol dangerous?