Some hand sanitizers can contain up to 70% ethyl alcohol (140 proof). This is the same type of alcohol found in liquor and it acts on the body similarly.

The problem came to light in an American prison when a normally quiet prisoner became violent and incoherent after drinking from a gallon container of sanitizer. He was rushed to hospital.

At Women’s Residence, we have noticed that people drinking sanitizer become intoxicated and begin to lose consciousness quickly. When unable to rouse them, we have called EMS. In every case where we have called EMS, these people have been taken to hospital.

According to the star.com, “The ethanol and alcohol content in most hand purifiers are of dangerous proportions when ingested and these poisonous chemicals surge through the human bloodstream at an alarmingly fast rate. Their use over time can cause, among other things, blindness and liver damage.”

As hand sanitizers are free and readily available, the word has been spreading and for some they have become a drug of choice.

By Susan Harris –
City of Toronto Women’s Residence