Energy Drinks May Pack Alcoholic Punch

Aug. 22, 2007 — -- Attorneys general from across the country have asked for a federal investigation into the advertisements for energy drinks they consider misleading.

Attorneys general from 28 states, Washington and Guam submitted a letter to the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, saying the aggressive marketing for energy drinks may be fraudulent because, while the ads suggest they are healthy, some of the drinks contain a dangerous mixture of alcohol and caffeine. The letter said the ads target teenagers and young adults, who buy nonalcoholic energy drinks.

"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."

And the issue may become more intense as more energy drinks enter the market. It's a growing market. A report by the San Rafael, Calif.-based Marin Institute found that 500 new energy drink products were introduced worldwide last year.

Companies tout drinks with ingredient lists that include healthy items like ginseng, guarana and rasp flavor, according to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

"But they may have alcohol contents that rise above 6 percent," Blumenthal said. "The combination of alcohol and caffeine is hardly healthy and that's the claim we want to halt."

The attorneys general singled out Miller Brewing's Sparks and Sparks Plus, Anheuser Busch's Bud Extra and Liquid Charge and Liquid Core, made by Charge Beverages. They said the slick ads and cool cans are appealing to those too young drink.

Charge Beverages said that the company is not trying to hide anything and that alcohol is mentioned nine times on its beverages' cans.

"Our goal is not to sell to kids. Our goal is to sell to 21 on up," said Charge Beverages CEO Tim Baggs.