It wasn't the so-called date rape drug slipped into a drink that sent nine college freshman to the hospital. It was an "alcohol energy drink" that did the damage. Our state attorney general Rob McKenna immediately notified the Food and Drug Administration (letter) as a follow up to his office's request a year ago asking the FDA to investigate these drinks.
A quick search on the brand that the teenagers drank at the party tells a story of frequent abuse, little recognition of the dangers of mixing a depressant (alcohol) with a stimulant (caffeine) and the blatant marketing to teenagers.
FDA action so far-- warnings to manufacturers-- resulted in Anhaeuser-Busch ending production of their alcopop. We'll keep watching what happens with this latest news.
Showing posts with label alcopops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcopops. Show all posts
Parents worry about 'alcopops'
From Parents Worry That 'Alcopops' Encourage Teen Drinking, that appeared on Forbes.com on April 6:
Flavored alcoholic beverages -- dubbed alcopops -- contribute to underage drinking and should carry warning labels, say many American adults who took part in a new national survey.
"Alcopops are sweet drinks made to taste like cola or soda pop or punch or lemonade. Typically, alcopops have between 5 and 8 percent alcohol content, which is a little bit more than most beers, and they're marketed to look like familiar drinks to kids," Dr. Matthew Davis, director of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, said in a news release.
The survey of 2,100 adults, ages 21 and older, found that 52 percent believe alcopops definitely or probably encourage underage drinking, and that 92 percent strongly support the use of warning labels on alcopops. Most of the respondents also favor greater restrictions on alcopop advertising that focuses on youth.
"We also found in this poll that about 75 percent of adults in the United States are concerned underage drinking is a problem," Davis said.
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