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Foreign Office issues travel warning with people told to be careful when drinking
- The UK's Foreign Office released a warning this summer urging travellers to be careful when drinking alcohol abroad, as the Government characterizes drink spiking and methanol poisoning as a 'real and growing threat' affecting 29 destinations including Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam.
- Deaths spanning over a decade prompted relatives to alert holidaymakers after multiple fatalities: Simone White, 28, died in November 2024 after drinking free shots at a hostel bar in Laos; Cheznye Emmons, 23, died in 2013 from contaminated gin purchased in Sumatra; Kirsty McKie, 38, from Stockport died in Bali in July 2022 despite ordering from high-end suppliers.
- Methanol poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dizziness and vision problems strike between 12 and 48 hours after consumption, with vision issues serving as a 'distinctive red flag.' Simone White's friend Hannah-Mei Grisley said: 'The next morning, they woke up and thought they had a really bad hangover. Simone vomited, Bethany fainted, and that's when they knew something was seriously wrong.'
- Minister Hamish Falconer stated methanol poisoning 'can have devastating and sometimes fatal consequences' and praised relatives raising awareness. Kirsty McKie's mother Margaret warned: 'If you notice one of your friends is much drunker than you would expect or experiencing vision problems or breathlessness, it's really important they get to hospital fast.'
- Travellers should avoid free shots and unlabelled bottles, instead choosing branded sealed beverages from licensed establishments, though Kirsty McKie's mother emphasized her daughter had been 'well-informed and careful' yet remained vulnerable to contamination.
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29 Countries The UK Government Warns Carry Methanol Poisoning Risk
The UK government has launched a campaign to prevent methanol poisoning abroad, as survivors and their families call for greater awareness. Methanol is a highly toxic form of very strong alcohol that isn’t meant for human consumption. Sometimes it can be found in “counterfeit, illegally produced or contaminated alcoholic drinks,” the government explained. As little as 30ml is enough to kill an adult – an amount you can easily expect in a standar…
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources22
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution81% Center
Bias Distribution
- 81% of the sources are Center
81% Center
L 19%
C 81%
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