4 'dewshine'-drinking cases are state's first

A mixture of Mountain Dew and racing fuel, called "dewshine," could be to blame for the deaths of two Greenbrier teenagers, whose cases are among the first reported in Tennessee, according to health officials.

To date, there have been four cases, all originating from Robertson County, involving the possible consumption of "dewshine" as reported to the Tennessee Poison Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to medical director Dr. Donna Seger.

All four cases were reported in the past week.

“They thought they knew what it was, that it was a substitute for alcohol,” Seger said. “They thought they would get the same effects as alcohol, but they weren’t aware of how toxic it was.”

The deadly danger of 'dewshine'

Racing fuel, used in drag racing, is made up of almost 100 percent methanol, a non-drinkable form of alcohol used for industrial and automotive purposes, Seger said.

Initially, methanol can give the same effects as ethanol, which is used in the production of alcoholic beverages, but over time, it can result in symptoms ranging from blurred vision, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea to seizures, blindness, coma and death, depending on the amount and concentration of the methanol that was consumed, Seger said.

Second teen dies after drinking racing fuel mixed with soda

Methanol is extremely poisonous and as little as two tablespoons can be deadly to a child, according to the National Institutes of Health website.

About two to eight ounces can be deadly for an adult, and the success of treatment is often determined by how much poison a person swallowed and how soon he or she received medical attention, the website said.

Heath workers are not aware of how prevalent dewshine consumption is among Tennesseans, Seger said.

“These two deaths have brought it to our attention,” she said. “We have to try to make sure that adolescents are aware of the toxicity. Kids usually communicate more among themselves, and we need to make more kids aware of this, statewide.”

The surprising moonshine history of Mountain Dew

Health officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have notified the Department of Health about the situation, Seger said.

She also said she was not aware of any other cases involving dewshine consumption outside of Tennessee.

Greenbrier teen dies after drinking 'racing fuel-based substance'