Alcohol energy drinks a threat to teens

Shelly Mann-Lev |

8/10/2008 - 8/10/08

The Santa Fe Underage Drinking Prevention Alliance has raised alarms about alcohol energy drinks — the newest form of alcopop, because of their appeal to youth and the producers' aggressive marketing, which promotes binge drinking and falsely promises endless nights of fun and enhanced energy. In fact, alcohol and caffeine is a dangerous mix because the caffeine masks, but does not counteract, alcohol's effects, resulting in a "wide-awake drunk." The combination increases the likelihood of drunken driving, unsafe sex, assaults and other alcohol problems. Young people are at risk because they are more likely to binge drink, are targeted by the marketing and ar less likely to recognize the synergistic effects of the two drugs.

These products are attractive to underage youth, with whom energy drinks are enormously popular. Underage youth are also at the highest risk for catastrophic alcohol-related harms, and they are particularly susceptible to products that offer a false promise of increased tolerance to the effects of alcohol. High-alcohol beverages and energy drinks are a very dangerous mix.

These concerns prompted an ongoing investigation from 11 state attorneys general, including New Mexico's, and a threatened lawsuit from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. In response to this pressure, Anheuser-Busch did the right thing by voluntarily discontinuing the production and marketing of pre-packaged, caffeinated alcoholic beverages. The Santa Fe Underage Dinking Prevention Alliance hopes that the MillerCoors Co. will follow the lead of its competitor. For more information, call 505-467-2573.

Shelly Mann-Lev is chairman of the Santa Fe Underage Drinking Prevention Alliance.