Illinois Tries To Block All Alcoholic Energy Drinks

Energy drinks containing a caffeine and alcohol mixture may be on their way to becoming a thing of the past. Yet another state has announced intentions to block their sale.

In the wake of a ruling by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that found the products unsafe for consumption, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has issued letters to manufacturers demanding they halt sales of these beverages in her state.

Madigan warned that failure to adhere to the immediate removal of these drinks could amount to violations of the state's Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. She emphasized businesses could stand to lose licenses to manufacture market or sell any alcohol products statewide if they fail to comply.

"With our letter today, we are demanding the last cans and bottles of these dangerous beverages be removed from store shelves in Illinois," Madigan said. "These drinks glamorize alcohol abuse and threaten the safety of those consuming them."

Two-year campaign

In 2008, Madigan and the attorneys general of 12 other states and the San Francisco city attorney initiated investigations of the two leading manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks at that time: MillerCoors Brewing and Anheuser-Busch Inc. The investigations resulted in the companies' halt to production of caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

In August 2007, Madigan urged the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the federal agency responsible for monitoring the marketing of alcohol, to increase its efforts to prevent misleading claims by alcoholic energy drink manufacturers. Similarly in May 2007, Madigan joined other attorneys general in urging Anheuser-Busch to change its advertising of another alcoholic energy drink, called Spykes. Anheuser-Busch pulled Spykes from stores in response.

Madigan also urged Anheuser-Busch to require additional information for age verification before visitors may access one of its popular product websites; the company installed an age verification program on its site so that visitors must provide first and last names, zip code, and date of birth.

Four Loko

Most recently, Washington State and Michigan's banned sales of all alcoholic energy drinks, including the much-buzzed-about Four Loko.

In October, after 23 students were hospitalized for alcohol intoxication at the beginning of the Fall semester, Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey banned all alcoholic energy drinks on campus.

The issue has focused attention on Four Loko, which has gained popularity along young people, particularly college students.

The drink, which comes in 23.5 oz cans, in flavors like Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, and Cranberry Lemonade, is cheap (about $2.50 each) and has an alcohol content of 12 percent. Consuming a whole can of Four Loko apparently produces the same effect as drinking three beers, a can of Red Bull, and a shot of espresso.