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You’ll never guess why Australia may limit sales of Vegemite

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 24: Jars of Vegemite are seen during a press call to celebrate the Vegemite brand's 90th year at the Vegemite factory on October 24, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 24: Jars of Vegemite are seen during a press call to celebrate the Vegemite brand's 90th year at the Vegemite factory on October 24, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
By Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Aug 9, 2015

The yeast-based spread Vegemite is a quirky culinary product that draws a love or hate reaction from anyone who tries it.

But according to one Australian government official, Vegemite is being used for more than toast spread.

According to the BBC, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion called Vegemite a "precursor to misery" because it is being used by some indigenous dry communities to brew alcohol.

Scullion says Vegemite is being bought in bulk by some to produce moonshine in areas where alcohol is banned due to alcohol addiction problems in the community.

The homemade alcohol problem is so bad that in some towns, children are showing up to school hungover.

Scullion is encouraging indigenous communities to limit bulk sales and report any unusual sales patterns to the government.

But a health official interviewed by the BBC says the problem is not that widespread, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott rejected the idea of a Vegemite ban.

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