Attorneys General Are Not Pleased With Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Alcoholic energy drinks are causing a dust-up with some state's attorneys general, according the Associated Press. More than 2 dozen attorneys general want federal officials to examine the ingredients and the marketing of these drinks. From MSN Money:
In a letter to John Manfreda, the administrator of the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the attorneys general of 28 states and Washington, D.C., and Guam say aggressive -- and possibly fraudulent -- marketing of energy drinks mixing alcohol and caffeine targets teenagers and young adults who buy nonalcoholic energy drinks.All we really know is that "Sparks" is pretty gross tasting."Nonalcoholic energy drinks are very popular with today's youth," Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers said. "Beverage companies are unconscionably appealing to young drinkers with claims about the stimulating properties of alcoholic energy drinks."
The attorneys general singled out Miller Brewing Co. for Sparks and Sparks Plus, Anheuser-Busch for Bud Extra and Charge Beverages of Portland for its Liquid Charge and Liquid Core drinks.
Miller responds:
"There is no nonalcoholic version of Sparks. We work closely with the Trade and Tax Bureau to ensure that all of our products meet federal regulatory requirements," he said.We know why there is no non-alcoholic version of "Sparks." It is because "Sparks" is so disgusting that no one would ever drink it if it did not contain alcohol.
The angry attorneys general are from: Oregon, Connecticut, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming, Washington, D.C., and Guam.
States Seek Examination on Energy Drinks [MSN Money]
(Photo:Mister Brentus)
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Comments:
Wow, that's a crazy night... Old English and My Little Pony! LOL
I love sparks
Come on there is nothing like an awake drunk. . .
Caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol a depressant. Does this mean that Sparks leaves the drinker about even?
The plural of attorney general is "attorneys general," not "attorney generals."
I hope Johnson & Johnson doesn't catch wind that Sparks is using a red cross symbol. Oh, it's orange? Nevermind, then.
I don't even think I've ever seen an ad for Sparks. All I know is that it meets demand, despite how horrible I think it tastes.
But then again, I think Red Bull tastes even worse. Bawls is hands down the best tasting energy drink, and it mixes alright with verious alcohols. I don't want to suggest any specifically, wouldn't want to give minors any ideas...
What, Massachusetts is not on the list? Mass usually starts this kind of dog fight.
We have laws against teen drinking. Let the consumers decide.
Does the fact that it contains energy drink really make the youth want to drink it more? Back in my day, the youth wanted to drink because it was something that made you silly and the adults didn't want you to do it. If the kids were drinking Boones and 40's when I was young, I don't see how mixing alcohol and energy drinks is really going to cause today's kids to want to drink any more than they already do.
@Hossofcourse: It's not so much about stopping teens from drinking, per se, but stopping drink makers from trying to build brand loyalty through teen-targeted products, you know, the ol' Joe Camel strategy.
@iMike: There is waaay more stimulant in Sparks than the depressant effects of the booze. Have two Sparks, and you're wired all night. Actually, don't have two Sparks. Please.
I regularly buy all the sparks from my local convenience store. At one point, they stopped carrying sparks. I asked the owner about it, and he told me that he accidentally sold some to children, and stopped stocking it as a result! The guy doesn't have much English, and perhaps he really didn't know it contained alcohol. I talked him into stocking it again.
I'm from Canada, the origional energy drink with vodka is Rev. Tastes just like kool-aide! I would drink those like they were going out of style, and have actually had the LCBO send them to me, by the pallet in the US they were that good, and that popular at private parties!
Sparks fucking RULES. I wish it didn't make my mouth all orange, but other than that, love, love, love it.
Is Guam a U.S. territory?
Most of the drinks I see in that picture make me more handsome, bulletproof and impervious to criticism.
Please don't take my Sparks away.
@iMike: Nah, you just wind up drunk and fidgety with your heart beating really fast.
Not bad to get you going, but best served with something else to get the taste of pure disgusting out of your mouth after.
sparks tastes like magic candy! it could only be better if it came with a pony.
@LiC: I hope that was a poor attempt at irony. If not, then count yourself another failure of American schools.
Um, how about attournys genitals?
I'm on a jr. high type kick today. Dont mind me.
Sparks is the devil. The DEVIL.
Seriously. It's like crack cocaine in a can. You talk nonstop like an idiot all night and drink way more than you would otherwise, because you don't "feel drunk".
It's great if you're in the middle of a marathon bender and need to recharge, but otherwise, it's the devil.
And the fact that it contains synthetic bull bile doesn't make it any less evil. ;)
You can bet that the Attorney General of West Virginia is going to be a part of this. He's an ambulance chaser from way back.
Okay, Sparks is Belzabub's beverage. Got it. Phew!
But cocaine-and-vodka benders are still okay, right?
@skechada: Rather the same effect as cocaine and alcohol . . . and I'm not talking about the stuff in the hot pink can. I guess Sparks could be construed as the lesser of two evils, if you enjoy talking a hundred miles an hour about nonsense into the wee hours of the morning.
I happen to love Sparks. However the orange tongue is a bit disconcerting when viewed under the flickering fluorescents of your average bar ladies room.
I'm guessing these drinks are some of the nastiest tasting drinks sold anywhere. But the fact that they contain both alcohol and high levels of caffeine is a sure lure to kids. I've worked around preteens and teens and they thrive on drinking energy drinks. They will overpay a couple bucks to get their Monsters or their Red Bulls. My friend stocks packs of Monsters alone in his fridge and downs a couple every time he works out.
I personally think young kids shouldn't have energy drinks, because it just makes them more annoying, and do they really need it anyway?
Alcoholic energy drinks should have a huge label saying they contain alcohol and should be sold in the alcoholic section so that convenience store owners or even parents don't allow minors to consume them.
I don't understand why we just don't start developing alchoholic ritalin. It's better for America's children, besides I'm tired of washing my pills down with vodka, a combination substance would be much more efficient.
Bleh, I hate Sparks. I tried some drink that came in an orange/black can with a logo that had something to do with a sport(Might have been weight-lifting) and it tasted good. Energy drinks do nothing for me. :(
So energy drinks are ok for kids, but energy drinks with alcohol aren't? I beg to differ. Kids don't really need to become caffeine dependent any more than they need to drink.
Oh, FYI, progressives that drink Monster. Michael Savage, the Bay Area racist/homophobic/right-wing shockjock radio guy, is a silent partner (founder, I think?) in Monster, and his son is the CEO.
So they're like the Domino's of sports energy drinks.
Just so you're aware.
Rockstar was founded by Russell Weiner, Michael Savage's son, not Monster. Monster is made by Hansens.
@bluesunburn: Actually, I think CMAC beat all of you to it in the first comment.
@LiC: Um. Yes. Please return to high school. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
Sparks tastes like sweet tarts. You have to be a sugar freak to like them.
I work at a bar, and we limit consumption of Sparks to 2 per customer, simply because we've had too many instances of people acting like they were on speed after more than that (and I'm NOT kidding!).
Anyone who drinks this stuff would have to be some kind of idiot teenager. No self respecting alcoholic would ever touch this stuff.
Next time I'm at the bar and I hear some whore with a trampstamp order a redbull and vodka I'm gonna smash her skull in.
Heathens.
Sparks tastes like Smarties....In A Can! (they can have that tagline for free)
I'll go ahead and get this out of the way so we can focus on the topic-at-hand instead of the grammar police. It's attorneyS general, not attorney generalS. Check the quote for the correct plural.