A Canadian woman went blind this summer after drinking a cocktail containing methanol while on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, and is now raising the alarm about this public health problem.

If we can save even one life, it will have been worth it." In early August, a Canadian woman took to social media to raise awareness about the quality of alcohol in some countries. She herself went blind after drinking a cocktail made with adulterated alcohol this summer, reports Fox News.

In a video, the young woman recounts that she was in Bali, Indonesia, and one evening consumed a cocktail that was served to her in a reusable plastic bottle. Moments later, she experienced the first symptoms of poisoning and lost her sight permanently.

“One shot can kill you”

The cocktail was made with alcohol mixed with methanol. This organic compound is normally used in products such as antifreeze and paint thinner. It is highly toxic to humans and can cause symptoms ranging from nausea, dizziness, and abdominal pain to death in some cases, depending on the dose ingested.

"In developing countries, on the black market, methanol is often added to alcohol to increase the volume of the liquid," explains the Canadian, who launched an online petition to raise awareness of this danger. "One shot can kill you. Too few people know that."

This summer, an American tourist died in Laos after being poisoned by adulterated alcohol laced with methanol. To avoid a tragedy, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding illegal alcoholic beverages or those sold in questionable stores, and avoiding drinks served in open or unlabeled containers.