F.D.A. Says It May Ban Alcoholic Drinks With Caffeine

[ccharles000]

WASHINGTON — Top federal food regulators threatened on Friday to ban caffeinated alcoholic drinks unless their makers quickly proved that the beverages were safe.

In a statement, the Food and Drug Administration said it had told nearly 30 manufacturers of the drinks that unless they could provide clear evidence of safety, it would “take appropriate action to ensure that the products are removed from the marketplace.” Officials did not say how long such a determination might take.

The drinks, which combine malt liquor or other spirits with caffeine and fruit juices at alcohol concentrations up to about 10 percent, have become increasingly popular among college students. In a news conference, Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the agency’s principal deputy commissioner, said their consumption was associated with increased risk of serious injury, drunken driving, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior.

The agency’s action was prompted by a letter from 19 state attorneys general, who expressed concern about the products’ safety.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/health/policy/14fda.html?_r=1&ref=science

[hughee99]

1. Does this mean I can't get an Irish Coffee anymore? n/t

[kestrel91316]

30. It BETTER not, lol. I was planning on enjoying a few on cold evenings this winter.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Damn

Now I'll have to go back to chugging a few espressos before my drunken debaucheries.

Thanks, FDA.

[RB TexLa]

3. So are they going to outlaw my making an Irish coffee? Or mixing vodka with energy drinks?

This is beyond stupid

[Ocracoker16]

12. No, they are talking about products that have the 2 mixed together already

There is absolutely no way for the FDA to tell bars that they can't make alcoholic drinks with caffeine. That would be truly nuts.

[RB TexLa]

15. it's nuts to tell manufacturers that they can't either.

[yodoobo]

39. Whats the difference?

So its cool to tell a company (drink manufacturer) that they can't mix drinks.

Yet

its ok to tell a company (bar) that they can mix drinks?

[paulsby]

33. no and here's why

even if prohibited, it will only be for the marketing and sale of same

NOT for the consumption or personal use.

for example, even when congress (wrongfully which was later overturned) "banned" ephedrine contra DSHEA, it was still legal to buy and possess and consume.

i used to use it a lot during dieting for sports competititons back in the day.

it was only illegal to MARKET, SELL, or manufacture FOR SALE as a "dietary supplement"

the chemical itself was not banned.

the FDA has generally not allowed drugs (even OTC drugs) to be combined with food.

a donut shop in portland learned that not too long ago.

caffeine is an OTC drug. they have allowed it to be added supplementally to non-alcoholic drinks, but alcohol added to mass produced alcoholic beverages is a new one.

IF they ban same, it will be perfectly legal to dump caffeine powder in your beer, but not to market that

[DJ13]

4. Sounds like the beer makers are having a crying fit

Same kind of tactic they tried to use against wine coolers several years ago.

[d_r]

17. I don't know

I've got some rogue mocha porter in the fridge

[XemaSab]

37. I really like your sig line

:D

[backscatter712]

25. Half the products being sold were from beer makers.

Bud Extra, for example...

[lisa58]

5. Besides mixed drinks...

...are there any pre-bottled drinks on the market that have both alcohol and caffeine?

[Fumesucker]

11. Kahlua has a very small amount of caffeine.. n/t

[Ocracoker16]

16. Yes, those are the ones the FDA wants to ban

If you click the link to read the rest of the article they mention some examples of the prebottled drinks and show some pictures.

No worries about the Irish coffee or drinks with Red Bull. This ban wouldn't apply to those kind of drinks that you mix at home or get made at a bar.

[Threedifferentones]

21. Yes, mostly in gas stations

Around here Sparks is the most famous brand. Basically an "energy drink" with alcohol thrown in. How on Earth anyone could stomach enough of them to get more than a modest buzz is beyond me...

[Taitertots]

44. Joose

Puts sparks to shame. 10% alcohol, flavored drain cleaner.

[MadHound]

6. Sorry, but you'll have to pry my Bailey's and coffee from my cold hands

Seriously, this is stupid. What are they saying here, that there is increased risk of serious injury, drunken driving, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior due to the combination of caffeine and alcohol? Where's the science behind that? Those same dangers are present when you simply drink alcohol.

Besides, if you ban this stuff, people will simply mix it on their own.

More nanny state stupidity at work.

[Greyhound]

7. This shit is why so many morans in this country hate the government. n/t

[LeftyMom]

8. Gee, I figured out that combo was a bad idea when I was 17.

It takes the drunks longer to notice how fucked up they are if they don't get tired.

[Fumesucker]

9. Alcohol by itself is far from "safe" so the manufacturers are screwn..

There is simply no way anyone can show that alcohol and caffeine together are "safe" because alcohol is a remarkably dangerous drug, if it were just invented there is no doubt that alcohol would be made illegal in our drug war.

Just another day in "the land of the free"..

[old mark]

10. No more "Rum and CocaCola"?

Used to have a lot of fun with that stuff.

Damn socialism.



mark

[whoneedstickets]

26. Exactly! The classic booze and caffine mix..

You'll need a license to buy one.

[EFerrari]

13. Okay, now it's personal!

lol

[Warren Stupidity]

14. Does Seagrams have to demonstrate that their crappy gin is safe?

Is InBev off testing Budweiser for safety?

[DaveinJapan]

18. Wha?

"In a news conference, Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the agency’s principal deputy commissioner, said their consumption was associated with increased risk of serious injury, drunken driving, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior."

Um, how the fuck is that any different from *regular* alcoholic beverages? :wtf:

[dustbunnie]

29. The caffeine masks how much alcohol you're consuming.

You can keep going where you normally would slowly poop out. So there you are, sitting behind the wheel feeling totally normal one second and then wham, you practically pass out the next. With alcohol only, you'd have a better chance of judging how inebriated you are, and maybe not try to drive.

[DaveinJapan]

40. Perhaps, but I don't really buy the argument.

People shouldn't be making "judgement calls" about whether or not they should drive. The legal limit is quite low, so if you've been drinking any more than 1-2 beverages (in many cases, even 2 full drinks will put a person over the limit) you shouldn't be driving anyway.

Besides, what are they going to do, outlaw rum and cokes? Lots of alcoholic drinks include caffeine.

[endless october]

19. FDA needs to back off.

they've done enough prohibition-type damage already.

[corpseratemedia]

20. shoot

there goes my idea for a new high-dose caffeine/tequila mix: "Expellent" :puke:

It's *expellente!*

[Lone_Star_Dem]

22. Is it the fault of drinks like Joost or is it more the demographic who use them?

The article stated, "In fact, emerging research suggests that the young consumers of these products are more likely to be the perpetrator or victim of sexual aggression, to ride with an intoxicated driver or to become otherwise injured."

Considering the fact that they're speaking of alcoholic beverages that shouldn't come as a surprise.

I'd be interested in seeing if this is more common in the specific target demographic in general, or if it's only more common if they're using these specific products. I imagine many of us were more likely to do more foolish things when we were drinking when we were college age than we might be when we're middle age. It's possible much of this has to do with the lifestyle differences between the two eras of our lives, rather than the addition of caffeine in our alcoholic beverages.

[havocmom]

23. Because there are few things more annoying than a wide awake drunk?

Seems there are probably more dangerous substances to worry about. Besides, if the FDA bans the drinks, it doesn't stop consumers from mixing liquor and caffeine on their own.

What are the thinking?

[Odin2005]

24. FUCK THAT SHIT! I want my Colarado Bulldog!

Fucking Nanny-Statists! :grr:

[SidDithers]

27. So, they want to ban the drinks, not because they're inherently unsafe...

but because they might cause unsafe behaviours?

That's fucked up.

Sid

[Laelth]

28. Oh, please! Alcohol is NOT safe, nor is any beverage that contains alcohol.

That is no reason to ban it. The conservatives already bash us for trying to create a nanny state. Let's not give them any more ammunition.

:dem:

-Laelth

[FormerDittoHead]

31. Hmmm.

>...their consumption was associated with increased risk of serious injury, drunken driving, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior.

Otherwise known as ALCOHOL.

[frylock]

32. i prefer to mix my own..

grey goose and monster energy.

[Lurks Often]

34. stupid bureaucrats

This is a really stupid idea, how much money and time was spent coming up with this idea? Sounds like somebody might be trying to justify their job.


Not that I am saying hyper, wide-awake drunks is a good idea, mind you.

[Lyric]

35. Oh no! No more Jager Bombs?

WVU will go into perpetual mourning.

[blogslut]

42. They were doing it wrong

Jager Bombs were supposed to be a shot glass of Jagermeister dropped into a mug of beer. Stupid frat boys always screw things up.

[Lyric]

43. Ours are a shot glass of Jager dropped into a glass of Red Bull.

They're nasty. I freaking HATE Jagermeister.

Now Cherry Bombs I'm cool with--that's Three Olives Cherry Vodka mixed with Red Bull. Yum!

On edit: Wikipedia seems to agree that it's Jager and Red Bull, so now I'm really confused, lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4gerbomb

[blogslut]

49. All I know is that

... in the 80's, when Jagermeister first began to take off, that's how we did Jager Bombs. Somewhere along the way some loser frat asshole bartender decided to use that nasty RedBull crap.

Then again, I've been spoiled by working with real bartenders - the kind that every time the manager bought a new blender, would push it into the sink water while it was plugged in. Once, during a rush, I watched my favorite bartender calmly reach over to the bar phone and saw him cut the cord and go back to pouring drinks as if nothing had happened.

[Sebastian Doyle]

36. Leave my Double Black Stout alone goddamn it!!

:beer:

[notadmblnd]

38. nothing's worse than a wide awake drunk

[blogslut]

41. And yet, the FDA turns a blind eye to

...energy drinks containing toxic levels of stimulants:



Rockstar Roasted:

240 milligrams caffiene
2000 milligrams Taurine

[Lone_Star_Dem]

48. What does Taurine do?

All I know about it is the vet had me giving it to my kitty he was dying from FIP.

[blogslut]

50. Here you go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine

Cats need it because their bodies can't synthesize it and it helps their vision. Normally, they get it from eating animal flesh or eggs.

[Naturyl]

45. I can't figure out who even wants such drinks

Alcohol and caffeine? Never been a good combo, in my experience. A CNS depressant and a CNS stimulant combined not only cancel each other out, the process leads to weird sensations.

[JCMach1]

46. They will just top off the evening with a Red Bull chaser

There will be no noticeable difference...

[tomm2thumbs]

47. they'll just sell them side-by-side with their drinks - like rum & coke

nothing will change, and it only makes it more interesting to 'mix it together' yourself than buy it off the shelf. Creating a new market for caffeine mixers - great.