Drinking Hand Sanitizer Leaves Three Dead, Three In Critical Condition, One Blind

In New Mexico, three people have died, three are in critical condition, and one is permanently blind after drinking hand sanitizer.

According to CNN, they were poisoned by methanol, which is a common ingredient of hand sanitizer.

State health officials say the poisonings were all related to alcoholism.

Some people have been known to use hand sanitizer to get intoxicated due to its alcohol content.

Methanol can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.

An antidote to methanol poisoning is available, but the earlier someone gets treated for methanol poisoning the better the chance of recovery.

New Mexico State Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel