(Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage of caffeinated alcoholic beverages.)A ruling from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages and whether they can be sold in stores is expected as early as today.A recent CSP Daily News poll asked, "Do you stock caffeinated alcohol drinks, such as Four Loko, in your retail outlets?" Of the 122 respondents, more than 48% said no; more than 43% said yes; more than 8% said that they have already removed the products from their shelves.
A followup poll asked, "Do you expect your state to ban 'alcohol energy drinks'?" Of the 102 respondents, 52% said yes; more than 37% said no; nearly 11% said that their state already has banned the products.
According to AP, Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission chair Kim Gainsboro said that she will file the new rules on Monday, a move that will effectively control sales of malt beverages containing alcohol, caffeine or any other herbal or chemical stimulant.
Under the plans, the manufacturing and importation of the beverages will have to cease.
A 23.5-oz. can of Four Loko, one of the most well-known beverages in the category, has an alcohol content of 12%, comparable to four beers.
She said classifying the drinks as malt beverages "may be misleading consumers about the true contents of the products being sold."
"The emergency regulation clarifies that no malt beverages can be sold in Massachusetts if they include alcohol, caffeine, guarana, taurine, gingko biloba, ginseng or other herbal stimulant or chemical stimulant," the commission said.
The new rule will ban sales of the beverages and require manufacturers to relabel and repackage the drinks in resealable containers. The drinks also would no longer be available from vendors selling wine and malt beverages.
The commission is still reviewing how it is going to handle drinks that are on the shelves in a way that "minimizes the impact to the industry while making sure we protect the consumers," Gainsboro told the news agency.
Four Loko maker Phusion Projects, Chicago, said it is disappointed by the Massachusetts announcement, saying curbing alcohol abuse will not succeed by singling out a single beverage category. "People have safely combined caffeine and alcohol for years: rum and colas, Red Bull and vodkas and Irish coffees are standard fare in bars and restaurants everywhere," Phusion Projects said in a statement.
Click hereto read Massachusetts' "Advisory to Local Licensing Authorities Regarding Alcoholic Beverage Energy Products."
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