Should an energy drink be allowed to brand itself with the name of an outlawed drug? A state lawmaker in Oklahoma says no, especially not when kids can buy it, and he’s trying to get the drink pulled off of shelves in the state.

Representative Shelton… said he first learned about ‘Cocaine’ when he saw two young boys buying it.

“They were talking about it,” Representative Shelton said. “They were happy they had it. I looked at it, went back to the cooler and they had a bunch of it.”

Representative Shelton said he bought it all and brought it to the state capitol. He’s now passed around ‘Cocaine’ to House and Senate leaders in hopes of stopping its sale in Oklahoma.

“It doesn’t need to be sold in Oklahoma,” Repsentative Shelton said. “There’s no need for it. Plenty of other energy drinks that don’t have ugly names like cocaine.”

We don’t think it’s an ugly name for a drink. Ugly would be something like “Sludgefart the energy liquid!” We wouldn’t buy something named Sludgefart. But “Cocaine,” now, you have to admit that it’s a catchy brand. Or how about something like “Likquidd Meth”? Or “Slamphetamine”?

Maybe the makers of “Cocaine” can just shorten the name to something less obvious sounding, like Coca- oh, never mind.

What do you think? Should drinks marketed at least in part to kids avoid referencing illicit substances? Or are kids smart enough to see through the tongue-in-cheek “lifestyle reference” (we’re not sure how else to describe it) and know when they’re being marketed to?

“Cocaine Energy Drink Sparks Debate with Lawmaker” [News9.com] (Thanks to Zachary!)
(Photo: Cocaine website)

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