Alcohol is hiding in PAM - of all places!

[garden variety]

Here's a real surprise.

If you use the vegetable-based cooking spray known as "PAM", you are using a product that contains ethyl alcohol - good ol' "John Barleycorn". The good Doctor Silkworth said that I can't safely use alcohol in any form - I believe him and won't take chances.

A substitue product that I use is the same kind of vegetable spray, but it's made by Mazola. No alcohol.

Pass it on - and ALWAYS READ THE LABELS!

[Tim]

I was at the grocery store this afternoon and looked on the varieties of PAM spray, including Original PAM. I didn't see alcohol listed anywhere. Am I missing something?

[sunlight]

Hi Tim,

I did some research, & ethyl alcohol is used as a propellant to make it spray. So, even if it doesn't say "ethly alcohol" on the label, it usually says "propellant", but doesn't specify just what that propellant IS.

Sneaky, if not unethical.

[Dallas]

A girl who did time in a treatment center said they drank hair spray filtered through bread... when she got thursty... she skipped the bread!
Don't squeeze the freeze!

[MitchellK]

Here's a real surprise.

If you use the vegetable-based cooking spray known as "PAM", you are using a product that contains ethyl alcohol - good ol' "John Barleycorn". The good Doctor Silkworth said that I can't safely use alcohol in any form - I believe him and won't take chances.

A substitue product that I use is the same kind of vegetable spray, but it's made by Mazola. No alcohol.

Pass it on - and ALWAYS READ THE LABELS!

WARNING: Do not eat ANY food or food products which contain sugar (natural or added) and/or starch. All food has some bacteria in it, and even in the refrigerator those bacteria will start acting on the sugar and using it for food. Most bacteria are fermenters. The process of fermentation takes glucose (sugar) and through a multi-step process turns it into carbon dioxide AND alcohol. Refrigeration does not kill bacteria, it merely slows its metabolism and the fermentation and alcohol producing process continues regardless.

A glass of orange Juice or Apple Juice contains more alcohol than a can of so-called non-alcoholic beer and certainly much more than a spray or two of PAM or a smear of mustard. Imagine how much alcohol is contained in that jar of fruit salad you have served to yourself or guests? Imagine, leaving a glass of grape juice on the counter for a couple of hours; all that nasty bacteria fermenting the sugars and turning it into alcohol. Just think of your next relapse triggered by that morning glass or two of OJ.

Look at your deodorants, shampoos, cologne. Most if not all contain alcohol. Just like the nicotine patch, the alcohol seeps into your skin, triggering you into relapse. Don’t ever eat in a good restaurant. Most good chefs cook with alcohol. Cheap greasy dives don’t use alcohol.

People quote Dr. Silkworth and his opinion that ANY sort of alcohol should be avoided like the plague. As much as I respect Silky and his early work, that particular statement taken out of historical context is misused. A 70 year-old opinion is not necessarily to be taken so literally as if it was infallible and the Gospel according to William. 70 years ago there were certain things the medical community believed in which have been debunked over and over again during the last 7 decades. Even the American Medical Association stated that the AA Big Book had no scientific merit or interest despite Dr. Silkworth’s opinion.

No wonder there is so much relapse in AA today. People are eating food, eating fruit, drinking fruit juice, washing their hair, using deodorant, wearing cologne, spraying PAM to cook and putting Grey Poupon mustard on their sandwiches. When you bite into that ear of corn at a picnic, just remember that the sugar and starch in that corn has been fermenting and you are ingesting alcohol. Call your sponsor after eating corn or peas or some watermelon or drink a class of OJ. You are in mortal danger of a relapse because of the alcohol these foods contain. Don’t live in fear but live in paranoia that almost EVERYTHING you eat or drink contains alcohol.

[garden variety]

Well good morning happy campers!

Sorry if the posting about PAM rubbed some of you the wrong way. I did have a can of PAM and alcohol was listed as an ingredient. Perhaps that has changed? Mazola does actually list the propellant as well as the ingredients which I think is better than not listing what is in a product.

I don't know what "miniscule" level of alcohol will trigger the phenomenon of craving for me. So if alcohol is listed as an ingredient, I avoid it. Likewise, I avoid alcohol in cologne (I use oils that do not contain alcohol), mouthwash (I use Crest which specifically states is alcohol-free), I request that food I order in restaraunts is not cooked with alcohol (or MSG because of that allergy), and I just don't take any chances are avoidable.

Some folks say I'm a fanatic about this - which is OK. No one has to do as I do, and I don't make judgements about anyone else if they use some forms of alcohol.

I posted what I posted based on my experience, and because I read the label on a can of PAM in my home and found alcohol listed. If that is something offensive, then I apologize.

Here's something to try on for size regarding PAM. There are some folks that will use PAM "recreationally" for a quick "buzz". There is a very simple method using everyday household items that I won't list here where a person can use PAM for a "buzz" or "head rush". I've seen it done. So say what you will about the "miniscule" amount of alcohol in PAM; I have seen young men and women get high from using it. So when I found out about the alcohol content, it made sense how they got high from PAM.

It's been my practice that when I discover something about products containing alcohol, I post it as an informative post for anyone that is interested. If anyone gets an "attitude" about it or takes it to a place where I did not intend (which appears to be the case here), that's not my business. But if it's offensive, I will stop posting things like this.

[Dallas]

I remember years ago, before sobriety, I dated a PAM. And, sure enough... I was drunk as a skunk.

The last PAM I met was sober. She and me. I'm still sober but I didn't date her. I sure wanted to date her!!! And, I would have tried... if I'd a had the courage to ask.

Referring to dates............ My sobriety date is November 14th., 1986

Before that date... I had tried AA and didn't take Silky or Bill's ideas with too much grain of current reality...

After I had a second chance at sobriety... I was scared crapeless that a bottle of alcohol would sneak up on me during the night and pour itself down my throat!

I'm an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. What that means to me -- is even the idea of sobriety is hopeless -- for a drunk of my type.

My sponsor told me that I'm one of the types that that Old Big Book was written for... and that if I wanted to keep my sobriety date... I'd get real serious about making it my reality -- what was written in it -- regardless if I believed it or not.

That suggestion has helped me to stay sober.

Since I got sober -- there have been all kinds of "new ideas" about drinking, alcohol, sobriety for alcoholics, recovery... etceteras.

What I've noticed about many new ideas that go against the grain of old ideas in the Big Book... is that new ideas are constantly changing. And, sometimes... they go right back full-circle to the old ideas.

As far as I'm concerned even if science someday discovers some new ideas... or pills... (remember the miracle drug Valium? ) that will prove the old Big Book ideas wrong... whomever wants to risk it and go with the new ideas -- my hat is off to them.

As for me... I'll stick with believing the old ideas in the Big Book. They've worked just fine for me, and they still work fine for me, and I still believe them and do them.

Yep. I'm probably one of thos nutty AA radicals... that takes everything in the Big Book literally. But, why shouldn't I? It works great for me and has done miracles for me. I don't push any of it off on anyone else... That ain't my job. My job is just to share my experience... not my theories and opinions for others.

Someday, they might write a new-and-improved Big Book. And, that doesn't bother me at all. I'll hang on to my old one -- that has proved to work for alcoholics of my type for over 70-something years. (And, I'm not that old and haven't been sober that long!). I just gave a sobriety birthday cake to my sponsor for 50 years sober. He still does the things in the Old Book -- so, it must be working for him, too.

Not all alcoholics are "my-type." That doesn't botther me. Even makes me a little unique and different!!!

I'll tell you what -- my sobriety and the good life mean so much to me -- that I would believe that the Easter Bunny eats Skippy peanut butter... if it would help me to stay sober and keep what I've got.

That's not fear of drinking... but it may be tainted with a little fear and a great desire -- to not lose what I've got -- Because what I've got is a heck of a whole lot better than anything I ever had. And, it's mine -- and I can hang on to it.

When I read the idea in the forward of the Big Book, that suggests that "for me" no other authentication will be necessary... I take that to mean that my experimenting days are over. I'll stick with the old stuff -- that keeps giving me tons of great new stuff. No complaints here Ma!

Dallas

[GeoffS]

Hi all,

I'm with Dallas. The BB of AA has worked for many people before me, so I'll stick with that thanks.

Maybe a pill that cures alcoholism might get invented one day. Not sure if I'd want it though. I would stop growing from that point on, because I am lazy and would take the easier softer option.

I hope Mitchell's post comes under rule 62, however its sometimes hard to tell what is and what is not on written forums.

[88sportsman]

Here's a real surprise.

If you use the vegetable-based cooking spray known as "PAM", you are using a product that contains ethyl alcohol - good ol' "John Barleycorn". The good Doctor Silkworth said that I can't safely use alcohol in any form - I believe him and won't take chances.

A substitue product that I use is the same kind of vegetable spray, but it's made by Mazola. No alcohol.

Pass it on - and ALWAYS READ THE LABELS!

WARNING: Do not eat ANY food or food products which contain sugar (natural or added) and/or starch. All food has some bacteria in it, and even in the refrigerator those bacteria will start acting on the sugar and using it for food. Most bacteria are fermenters. The process of fermentation takes glucose (sugar) and through a multi-step process turns it into carbon dioxide AND alcohol. Refrigeration does not kill bacteria, it merely slows its metabolism and the fermentation and alcohol producing process continues regardless.

A glass of orange Juice or Apple Juice contains more alcohol than a can of so-called non-alcoholic beer and certainly much more than a spray or two of PAM or a smear of mustard. Imagine how much alcohol is contained in that jar of fruit salad you have served to yourself or guests? Imagine, leaving a glass of grape juice on the counter for a couple of hours; all that nasty bacteria fermenting the sugars and turning it into alcohol. Just think of your next relapse triggered by that morning glass or two of OJ.

Look at your deodorants, shampoos, cologne. Most if not all contain alcohol. Just like the nicotine patch, the alcohol seeps into your skin, triggering you into relapse. Don’t ever eat in a good restaurant. Most good chefs cook with alcohol. Cheap greasy dives don’t use alcohol.

People quote Dr. Silkworth and his opinion that ANY sort of alcohol should be avoided like the plague. As much as I respect Silky and his early work, that particular statement taken out of historical context is misused. A 70 year-old opinion is not necessarily to be taken so literally as if it was infallible and the Gospel according to William. 70 years ago there were certain things the medical community believed in which have been debunked over and over again during the last 7 decades. Even the American Medical Association stated that the AA Big Book had no scientific merit or interest despite Dr. Silkworth’s opinion.

No wonder there is so much relapse in AA today. People are eating food, eating fruit, drinking fruit juice, washing their hair, using deodorant, wearing cologne, spraying PAM to cook and putting Grey Poupon mustard on their sandwiches. When you bite into that ear of corn at a picnic, just remember that the sugar and starch in that corn has been fermenting and you are ingesting alcohol. Call your sponsor after eating corn or peas or some watermelon or drink a class of OJ. You are in mortal danger of a relapse because of the alcohol these foods contain. Don’t live in fear but live in paranoia that almost EVERYTHING you eat or drink contains alcohol.

outstanding, well put mitchell
thanks

[garden variety]