Most US adults back ban on powdered alcohol: Survey

Driven by concerns of potential misuse among underage youth, majority of adults in the US favour a ban on recently approved powdered alcohol which can create an instant cocktail when mixed with water, reveals a survey.

Packaged in travel-friendly pouches, the new alcohol-on-the-go product is set to be launched in flavours of distilled spirits like vodka, rum and mixed drinks.

According to the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, 60 percent of the US adults favour a complete ban of powdered alcohol in their states, while 84 percent support prohibiting online sales of the product.

"The product's makers tout powdered alcohol as improving convenience for people who enjoy the outdoors and others who want to travel light with alcoholic beverages," said Matthew Davis, director of the National Poll on Children's Health and professor of paediatrics and internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.

"Given that several states are considering legislation about powdered alcohol, our poll looked at what the public thinks about this new product. The majority of adults agree that powdered alcohol may spell trouble for young people."

Only about a third of adults had heard about powdered alcohol when the poll was conducted in May 2015.

The survey revealed that 90 percent of adults are concerned that powdered alcohol will be misused by people under 21.

The product is set to launch this summer but some states, including Louisiana, South Carolina and Vermont, have already banned it.

"Concerns of the public are important to understand as lawmakers across the country consider legislation to restrict or ban the use of powdered alcohol in their states," Davis said.