FCDO updates travel advice on methanol poisoning from tainted alcohol

On 20 November 2024, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the UK government department that issues travel advice, updated its guidance on the risk of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol abroad.

The update followed reports of tourists falling seriously ill in Laos after drinking tainted alcohol. The FCDO warned that methanol, a toxic substance, can be present in homemade or counterfeit spirits and in some cocktails and local drinks. It urged travellers to avoid homemade or bootleg alcohol and to be cautious about where and what they drink.

Methanol poisoning can cause blindness, organ damage and death, and early symptoms can resemble a normal hangover. The guidance advised anyone who felt unwell after drinking to seek urgent medical help.

The warning mattered because it gave British travellers a clear, official reminder that the danger was not limited to one country. It also came as the case drew wide international attention and prompted other governments and health bodies to issue similar advice for holidaymakers.