Czech Republic Bans Alcohol

     On September 15, 2012, Karel Janicek wrote the article, "Czech Republic Alcohol Ban: Country Bans Hard Liquor Sales Amid Wave of Methanol Poisoning" in the Huffington Post. After the death toll rising to 19 people on Friday, Czech Republic has decided to ban the sale of spirits containing more than 20 percent of alcohol. This decision was made effective immediately after the country was swept with methanol poisoning. The ban applies to all restaurants, hotels, stores, and the Internet. The problem is mostly centered around northeastern Czech Republic. Methanol, because it is cheap,  is a common alternative to producing alcohol, and is used because it cannot be distinguished from real alcohol. Labs around the country have been testing suspicious alcohol samples that were seized by police raids. The sources are not clear of the worst methanol poising "in decades", according to police spokeswoman Stepanka Zatloukalova, however almost 20 people have been arrested. If this problem continues to span out for over a few months, it will become a big problem for the economy.