Methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol is relatively rare in countries with strict alcohol regulation, but it remains a serious problem in regions where counterfeit alcohol is common. Outbreaks continue to occur every year, causing deaths, blindness, and permanent injuries. A few years ago in Laos, six foreign tourists died after drinking at a backpacker hostel, and an even bigger outbreak occurred in Turkey in 2025, taking the lives of 160 people and leaving more than 250 incapacitated. Both cases were attributed to methanol poisoning from illegally produced alcohol.