Eight countries have been added to the UK Foreign Office’s list of the risk of methanol poisoning from water or contaminated alcohol.
Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Russia and Uganda have been included in the updated travel guide following incidents involving Britons in those countries.
The advisory previously covered Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Fiji and follows high-profile incidents including the deaths of six tourists in Laos last year.
Travelers are advised to be aware of the symptoms of methanol poisoning such as short-sightedness and confusion, which can lead to serious illness and death.
Methanol is an industrial chemical found in antifreeze and windshield washer fluid. It is not intended for human consumption and is highly toxic.
But there have been cases of non-alcoholic beer brewers adding methanol to slow them down, and some bars and street vendors mixing in alcohol-based drinks to cut costs.
The foreign office has launched a new advertising campaign and updated its travel assistance pages to include information on recognizing the signs and reducing the risk of methanol poisoning.
British nationals traveling abroad have been advised to buy drinks from licensed establishments, avoid home-brewed alcohol and mixed spirits before meals, cocktails and drinks served in buckets or jugs.
Travelers are advised to be aware of the warning signs of poisoning, which include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and confusion. Experts say that methanol poisoning in the first stages can be similar to alcohol poisoning, but they are different symptoms, such as vision problems, can develop within 12-48 hours after use.
People with symptoms of methanol poisoning should seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Simone White, 28, died in 2024 after accidentally drinking methanol in Laos [PA Media]
The Foreign Office did not release details of specific incidents in any of the new countries on the alert list.
But Morgan, a Briton who contacted BBC NewsBeat about a recent visit to Japan, said his experience at bars where tourists tipped off tourists was unaware of the potential dangers.
“The offer will be ‘come and have a free shot with me – we’ve got tequila, we’ve got vodka’,” he said.
“Obviously, you take their word for it. It’s really dangerous in that sense. There were loads of other tourists just taking a shot, just drinking,
Last month’s appeals and the families of some of the Britons who died or were injured from toxic methanol overseas met with members of the travel industry and MPs in Parliament.
Among them was Amanda Dennis representing the family of Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Orpington who was one of the six managers who died in a hostel in Laos.
He said the foreign office should continue with its latest warning.
“It should not be advised not to buy spirits in these countries, including licensed areas,” he said. “If people want to drink spirits in these countries, they should buy spirits that work well in the UK.”
He also suggested that the foreign office should put up posters highlighting the issue of methanol associations in the UK ATS AIRTS.
Clum MacDonald has been putting back in Laos when he fell into a methanol scandal in Vang Vieng and went blind.
The 23-year-old from Sunbury-on-Thames said: “I think it’s important for people to know, obviously, because it’s a simple piece of information that can really save you a lot of pain.
“I certainly think that if I didn’t know the danger I wouldn’t be here today without my vision.”
Hamish Falconer, Minister of State for Earth and Disaster, said: “Methanol poisoning can be fatal. By the time travelers see the danger, it may be too late.”
He added: “No family should have to endure what the families of the campaigners suffered. Their determination to protect others from the same plight depends on our travel advice.”
