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1. How do caffeinated alcoholic beverages differ from
other alcopops?
All caffeinated alcoholic beverages are essentially alcopops - they're sweet, easy to drink, and marketed toward a young audience. What sets them apart, however, is the addition of stimulants such as caffeine, taurine, ginseng, and guarana. Alcohol-laced energy drinks are packaged in cans that don brightly colored, flashy designs and often mimic the look of their non-alcoholic counterparts.
2. Who makes caffeinated alcoholic drinks?
MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev were the leading producers of this new alcoholic beverage category, but in 2008, the two companies signed agreements with state attorneys general to cease production of all caffeinated alcoholic beverages. MillerCoors agreed to reformulate its product, Sparks, to remove the caffeine, as did AB-InBev. However, when the two companies agreed to cease production, other companies rushed to fill the vacuum left in the marketplace and aggressively marketed their brands. Leading makers include JOOSE, Four Loko, Liquid Charge, and P.I.N.K. spirits. The higher levels of alcohol (9-12%) in some of these new products make caffeinated alcoholic drinks even more dangerous.
3. Why is it dangerous to combine alcohol with caffeine and other stimulants?
Combining caffeine and alcohol constitutes a dangerous mix, particularly for young people, because caffeine reduces a person's sense of alcohol intoxication (i.e., "feeling drunk") and alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time. Many alcoholic energy drinks contain substantially higher levels of caffeine than servings of coffee. The caffeine masks the intoxicating effects of alcohol. This effect increases risks of engaging in violent or other high-risk physical behaviors. Young people are more likely to take risks than adults and to suffer high rates of alcohol problems, including alcohol-related traffic accidents, violence, sexual assault, and suicide.
In a study conducted at Wake Forest University, researchers found that students who consumed alcohol mixed with energy drinks were twice as likely to be hurt or injured, twice as likely to require medical attention, and twice as likely to ride with an intoxicated driver, as were students who did not consume alcohol mixed with energy drinks. Students who drank alcohol mixed with energy drinks were also more than twice as likely to take advantage of someone else sexually, and almost twice as likely to be taken advantage of.
Additionally, because many caffeinated alcoholic beverages are served in 23 ounce containers with up to 12% alcohol - drinking a single can is roughly the equivalent of drinking almost a full six pack of beer laced with high levels of caffeine. Alcoholic energy drinks are also inexpensive - in many cases substantially cheaper than their non-alcoholic energy drink cousins.
4. How popular are these products among young drinkers?
Non-alcoholic energy drinks are enormously popular (31% percent of 12- to 17-year-olds and 34% of 18- to 24-year-olds report regular consumption of energy drinks). The makers of alcoholic energy drinks encourage the close association of their products with their non-alcoholic counterparts by mimicking their container-size, shape, and graphics. These similarities create the potential for confusion among consumers, retailers, parents, law enforcement officers, and others.
Making caffeinated alcoholic drinks in kid-friendly flavors and colors also specifically targets young people. For example, Four Loko comes in Blue Raspberry, OB (orange blend), watermelon, and lemon and grape flavors. JOOSE comes in Dragon, Mamba, Panther, and Jungle JOOSE. The sweet and fruity flavors hide the taste of alcohol so young people will drink more.
5. How are caffeinated alcoholic beverages marketed to youth?
Like their non-alcoholic soft drinks, producers of alcoholic energy drinks promote youth consumption using "grassroots" level marketing strategies, as opposed to traditional channels (such as television, radio, magazine, and outdoor advertising). Companies are looking for "one-on-one relationships" gained through events, extreme sports sponsorships, Internet interactions, text messaging, and communication among users on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. The marketing tactics of companies such as JOOSE, Four Loko, and Liquid Charge employ youth-oriented imagery and slogans, promoting high-risk behaviors, and using containers similar to non-alcoholic energy drinks, which are popular drinks among teens.
6. What action has the FDA taken about caffeinated alcoholic beverages?
In November 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wrote to nearly 30 producers of potentially dangerous caffeinated alcoholic beverages demanding that the manufacturers of products such as JOOSE and Four Loko demonstrate evidence of product safety and legality. Without such evidence, the agency will take appropriate regulatory action, including possible seizure of products. However, any timing on an FDA ruling is unknown, so states cannot wait for the FDA to take action to remove these dangerous products.
