# What is Meth, In Terms Of Alcohol (Australian Usage)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 28, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253 "2009-11-28T17:39:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/1 "2009-11-28T17:39:55Z")

</div>

This [clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiG10-W8k1Q) is from the old Australian soap opera _Prisoner_ (_Prisoner: Cell Block H_), in it Lou (short for Louise) the bad guy prisoner is selling Jan (a lawyer who is also a prisoner and co-incidently an alcoholic) a drink.

Now it looks like Lou is handing Jan a bottle of rubbing alcohol, but maybe I’m wrong.  
(around 0:41)

Lou’s recipe seems to be

Rubbing alcohol, water and liver salts (whatever they are) all mixed together (1:00)

And she calls this Bush Champagne. (Bush as in the Australian Bush)

Around 1:08 Jan complains Lou is charging her $5.00 for “this” and Lou says that it is only for the “metho”

Later episodes find the others refering to Lou still selling meths to Jan.

Since this is in the early 80s and a drink it’s obviously not the same as meth, the drug is now? Or is it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/2 "2009-11-28T17:45:19Z")

</div>

[Methylated Spirits.](http://adunk.ozehosting.com/metho.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/3 "2009-11-28T17:49:28Z")

</div>

Well that was quick and thanks, I had never heard it called that before

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bisected8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a4c791/32.png) [@Bisected8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bisected8)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/4 "2009-11-28T19:00:23Z")

</div>

I’d just like to chip in and say rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) isn’t the same substance as methanol.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/5 "2009-11-28T19:03:51Z")

</div>

> [@Markxxx](#):
>
> Well that was quick and thanks, I had never heard it called that before

In the UK we call it “Meths” - always plural.

My Aussie flatmate says she would think “meth” or “meths” referred to methamphetamine, but she would link methylated spirit with the word “metho”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meth-in-terms-of-alcohol-australian-usage/519253/6 "2009-11-28T19:15:57Z")

</div>

iYes, as **jjimm** says, it’s common in the UK in the form _meths_. The sin gular _meth_ can sometimes refer to methadone (the heroin substitute) but more usually to methedrin.