AB 72

Current law regulates the sale of alcohol beverages, which are beverages

containing at least 0.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Under this bill, a person may not sell or offer for sale powdered alcohol. The bill

defines powdered alcohol as any substance that is sold in powder or crystalline form,

that contains more than 0.4 percent alcohol by weight, and that is fit for human

consumption either in its powder or crystalline form or after it is added to food or

reconstituted with water or another liquid. There are exceptions under the bill,

including for powdered alcohol, used for nonbeverage purposes, that is used by

hospitals or for scientific research or other medicinal, pharmaceutical, or industrial

purposes. A person who violates the prohibition must be fined not more than $1,000

or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to

result if the bill is enacted.