Overview
- Last week the Foreign Office added methanol‑poisoning guidance to travel pages for eight more countries: Ecuador, Kenya, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Uganda and Russia.
- The FCDO says it is working with local authorities and over 150 industry partners through its Travel Aware campaign to raise awareness among British travellers.
- Families led by Kirsty McKie’s mother are urging the government to explicitly advise avoiding all spirits in specified countries and to broaden and tighten the wording across more destinations.
- Campaigners are advancing public‑education measures including a schools awareness film in production, proposed posters in airports and on transport, and a website with practical advice such as carrying health documents and insurance.
- Medical experts warn methanol is hard to detect and potentially fatal in small amounts, with recent UK‑linked deaths overseas including Kirsty McKie in Bali and Simone White after hostel shots in Laos.