Attorneys general urge FTC to limit alcohol content in Four Loko

Yesterday, 34 state attorneys general, including Washington's, and the San Francisco city attorney, filed comments responding to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s proposed settlement with the makers of Four Loko regarding deceptive marketing of the flavored malt beverage.

The FTC was commended for recognizing that the marketing of these super-sized drinks as single servings is misleading because one can contains the alcohol equivalent of almost five beers. The FTC was also called on to adopt additional measures to address the safety risks presented by Four Loko, such as limiting its alcohol content to no more than two servings of alcohol per can.

Attorneys general advocate for tighter regulation of alcohol ads

Attorneys general from 24 states, including Washington, have asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to do more to shield teenagers from alcohol advertising. A letter, written by the Utah Attorney General and signed by colleagues from 23 other states, proposes a three-step plan to regulate teens’ exposure to alcohol ads.
The letter proposes that data collection from alcohol advertisers about how they advertise, sell and market alcohol be ongoing instead of intermittent. The attorneys general also recommend that advertising be barred when more than 15 percent of the audience is between the ages of 12 and 20, and that data about alcohol advertising be collected for digital and social media marketing, such as blogs and corporate-sponsored social media sites.

Underage drinking is a community problem that requires a community-wide solution.  The advocacy efforts of these attorneys general join a variety of activities being implemented in local communities and around the nation with the goal of preventing underage drinking.  Everyone has a role to play.

Call on Pabst to stop marketing alcopops to minors

This week, seventeen attorney's general, including Washington State's, asked Pabst Brewing Company to stop marketing Blast by Colt 45 to underage drinkers and to significantly reduce the number of alcohol servings in each can.  The drink, being promoted by rapper Snoop Dogg, comes in a colorful can containing 23.5 ounces, with an alcohol content of 12 percent—more than most cans of beer, CNN reports.

The Marin Institute is collecting signatures on a petition asking Pabst to stop peddling alcopops to urban youth and to stop using Snoop Dogg as their celebrity spokesperson.

Caffeinated alcoholic beverages

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified nearly 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products. According to an FDA official, "The increasing popularity of consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by college students and reports of potential health and safety issues necessitates that we look seriously at the scientific evidence as soon as possible."

Here in Washington, Attorney General Rob McKenna applauded the FDA's action. "Alcohol plus caffeine equals a serious health threat, especially for young people," he said. "The jolt of caffeine or other stimulants mask the feeling of intoxication. Health professionals say that leads to more risk-taking behavior, traffic accidents, violence, sexual assault, and suicide."

Concerned about the combination of energy drinks and alcohol, the Washington State Liquor Control Board has approved a policy which prohibits any references to combining energy drinks with alcohol on point-of-sale materials in their state stores. In their letter to suppliers they state, " . . . there are an increasing number of scientific studies that have shown the dangerous effects of mixing alcohol with energy drinks. While alcohol is a depressant, energy drinks are stimulants. The net effect is that the consumer doesn't feel the effects of the alcohol, yet is just as impaired as they would be had they just consumed alcohol without the energy drink."