In the strictly puritanical nation of Saudi Arabia, alcohol is strictly prohibited. Caught wit a bottle of Jimmy Bean and you’re looking at a 100 lashes at the hands of breaded, sadistic fanatics.

Of course, alcohol is not prohibited for all Saudis. The royal Saud family has a winking agreement with the Wahhabi clerics tat allows the family to get away with sin in exchange for the clerical establishment having free rein to abuse average Saudis. The royal family is widely known for having world-class alcoholics. C.I.A. reports on the late King Fahd describe him as a frequent drinker. So while princes can stock Vodka, average Saudis have to contend with “like Vodka”.

But Saudis who establish a taste for alcohol overseas are not content with substitute “like,” this leads to many of them experimenting with substances containing some alcohol. While ethanol [alcohol] is banned, methanol is not. Saudis experiment with mouthwash, for instance. Shave lotion and even anti-freeze are also used. All products containing methanol. There is also the home-made sadeeqi .

Needless to say, this is very dangerous and between 2002 and 2006, at least 17 Saudis were killed by engaging in such behavior. There were more cases of illness.

The Saudi health authorities are worried about the cases of illness and have instructed hospitals to maintain stocks of the antidote to methanol in order to treat arriving sick Saudis. Here’s the rub that shows how ridiculous the Saudi alcohol ban is. The antidote to methanol is...ethanol! The exact substance that is banned.

How ironic!