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Abstract

Much of the research on the public health implications of alcohol consumption focuses on high-wealth nations in the Americas and Europe, alcohol is a problem in many developing countries. However, there are a proportion of alcoholic beverages that are illegally produced and considerably unregulated. Much of the alcohol consumption in Grenada comes from illegally distilled rum, colloquially called babash or bush rum. The public health complications of babash consumption is currently an un-researched public health issue. Methods:

Bottles of locally and illegally produced Babash were collected from three different regions in Grenada. Three of the bottles were randomly selected to be analyzed for toxicological impurities by the Grenada Bureau of Standards and St Louis Testing Laboratories. Results: Methanol analysis performed determined that while the ethanol concentrations varied between samples, the methanol concentrations of all three samples were well below both the maximum tolerable concentration (MTC; 2.0%). Heavy metal analysis tested for 32 different analytes and determined elevated levels of aluminum, calcium, chromium, copper, sulfur, silicon, and zinc. Recommendations: Based on this chemical analysis, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that Babash, beyond the effects of ethanol, may pose a public health risk to consumers. Although none of the samples reached the hazardous or toxic limits found in the human body, they can still have acute and chronic effects on the body depending on the consumption rates and chemical content.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption, Grenadian Bureaus of Standards (GBS), illegal distillation, public health, heavy metal poisoning, babash, bush rum, methanol toxicity, ethanol

Introduction

Many nations have severe problems with alcohol abuse and over-consumption, and the morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol is well researched (1, 2). Alcohol use is therefore the subject of much interest for public health interventions. The global burden of alcohol is difficult to determine, because there are many facets involved, which include healthcare costs, criminal justice costs and collateral damage from accidents. Current estimates suggest that 3-8% of global deaths and 4-6% of global disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) are attributable to alcohol consumption (2). In economic terms, a 2011 study estimated the 2006 cost of alcohol in the United States to be $223.5 billion, most of which was due to lost productivity and specifically attributable to binge-drinking; this enormous sum averages to approximately...

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