Russian Bath Lotion Poisoning Death Toll Up: Putin Orders Crackdown

Expect more stringent government measures on surrogate alcohol after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a crackdown on the commodity following the increasing death toll resulting from bath lotion poisoning. In Irkutsk City of Siberia, over 30 people have become ill while 62 died due to poisoning.

Putin has ordered the implementation of compulsory labelling as well as tougher penalties for violators to prevent another deadly incident from the bath lotion which contains the highly poisonous substance methanol. Drinkable alcohol, which is in high demand as a cheap alternative to the traditional alcohol, has been labeled as medicine or even cosmetic. These are even sold in vending machines.

CNN Money said the new regulations will require tougher policies on all products with over 25% of alcohol content including veterinary and medical products with alcohol. Surrogate alcohol has become a cheaper alternative for Russian after the government raised the taxes on alcohol to discourage excess drinking. The high price of legal alcohol has reduced sales by 8% last year although it has not totally discouraged people from drinking.

The Irkutsk mass poisoning is considered the worst in Russia's modern history as the police searched 1,500 premises, confiscated thousands of alcohol bottles and arrested 12 people. BBC said while there was a warning on the hawthorn-scented liquid, the label indicated that it contained ethanol and not methanol. The sale of this product through vending machines has been called "an absolute disgrace" by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The Guardian said an underground laboratory had been discovered by investigators and the facility is said to be manufacturing the fake tincture boyaryshnik which is supposed to be added to relaxation baths. The same liquid which has hawthorne extract, lemon oil and 93% ethanol has been widely used as a substitute alcoholic drink in Russia.The liquid confiscated in Irkutsk however did not contain ethanol by the deadly methanol promoting for the declaration of a state of emergency by the authorities.