Teenager Reportedly Dies After Taking Shots of 95 Percent Alcohol, Parents Seeking Justice

Nicole Bicknell’s family stated that she rarely ever drank alcohol. Unfortunately, things reportedly took a fatal turn the one time she may have had one to many drinks. According to Mirror UK, the 18-year-old girl attended a party two weeks ago where she collapsed after taking a few shots of the very potent the 95 percent alcohol, Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany. However, the exact number of shots has not been revealed. Although she had a number of other mixed drinks that night, her family insists the fatality was caused by the super-strength liquor.

Now, they reportedly want answers. According to Australian News, the grieving family is petitioning for the potent alcohol to be taken off the market. Ironically, the Australian Medical Association has been making strides to have the alcohol banned for over two years now, but to no avail.

The nutritional information and analysis for Spirytus Rektyfikowany indicates that a 500ml bottle is equivalent to an estimated 38 standard size drinks. However, due to the potency of the alcohol, the bottle equates to more than double the amount of a “potentially lethal dose” for the average adult, reports Perth Now.

So, now her parents have joined the fight to have the alcohol banned. The girl’s mother, Belinda Bicknell, and her father grandfather, Kevin McLean, recently shared his opinion of the “super-strength” alcohol, and why he feels it needs to be taken of the market.

“I cannot see why alcohol so strong is sold in liquor stores,” McLean told the Western Australian local newspaper, The Sunday Times. “No one needs to buy alcohol that strong. It should be taken off the shelves so this doesn’t happen to any other family. We want it banned Australia-wide and we would like to see it an offense to sell it and ban it completely. That’s the main thing. We just don’t want it to happen to anyone else. If they (retailers) have any sort of conscience they would remove it. We want it banned Australia-wide and we would like to see it an offence to sell it.”

“It’s like anything, more deaths have to happen before things get done,” her mother Belinda said. “I just feel very angry right now.”

Do you think Spirytus Rektyfikowany should be taken off the market in wake of the teenager’s death? Share your thoughts.

[Image(s) via Bing]