Can Moonshine Really Make You Go Blind?
Store-bought moonshine is generally just clear, unaged corn whiskey and considered safe. The real danger comes from homemade batches, where improper distillation can produce methanol. Methanol metabolizes into formic acid in the body, which can cause blindness, organ failure, or death, and it’s this risk, not moonshine itself, that created its dangerous reputation.
Watch the video to learn more about the myth versus the real risk of homemade alcohol, and check out this moonshine safety guide for more details. If you or someone you know may have been exposed to methanol or homemade alcohol, call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 for fast, free, and confidential guidance.
Transcript with visual descriptions
Visual: Thumbnail with an image of a mason jar and shot glasses filled with a clear liquid and the title “Can moonshine make you blind?”. The Missouri Poison Center logo is in the bottom right corner.
Sound: [Upbeat, plucky music plays throughout.]
Visual: Person 1, a man wearing a blue t-shirt with “#Poison. Prevention” on it, stands over an ironing board. Person 2, a man wearing a white shirt and dark vest, enters the room holding a glass bottle of clear liquid.
Sound: [Door opens]
Person 2: Ah, say, friend! I just whipped up a fresh batch of moonshine.
Person 1: It’s 9 in the morning, man.
Visual: Person 2 pours the liquid from the bottle into a small glass.
Person 2: Care to partake?
Visual: Person 2 throws his head back and drinks from the small glass.
Person 1: You know that stuff can make you go blind, right?
Sound: [Gulping sound.]
Person 2: Woo! That’s the stuff. Wait, what?
Person 1: I mean, store-bought moonshine’s fine. It’s usually just clear, unaged corn whiskey. But traditionally, moonshine is homemade, and improper distillation can produce methanol.
Sound: [Pompous laugh.]
Person 2: How bad is methanol, really?
Person 1: Oh, it’s highly toxic.
Person 2: How toxic?
Person 1: Well, I mean, it metabolizes into formic acid, which can make you go blind, cause your organs to fail, or just be straight up fatal.
Person 2: Okay, so it’s not great. Got it.
Person 1: You know, it’s the widespread methanol contamination during Prohibition that led to the myth that ALL moonshine is dangerous. But again, the risk REALLY comes from poorly made or unvetted homemade alcohol. Did you?
Person 2: Yeah, I saw a guy on YouTube do it, so…
Person 1: Gotcha.
Visual: A blue box appears with the text “Save the Missouri Poison Center’s number in your phone. Poisoned? Give us a call!” and the phone number 1-800-222-1222.
Person 2: Yeah, I’m going to go dump the rest of this out then.
Person 1: Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.
Sound: [Iron hisses steam.]
Person 2: Forget you saw me.
Visual: Person 2 walks out of the room.
