Frankly, almost all of my alcohol consumption over the years has included caffeine -- in the form of Coke mixed with my rum. Will we now see a ban on such concoctions as well?

Twenty-nine state attorneys general urged Anheuser-Busch yesterday to warn buyers of Spykes and other alcoholic drinks combined with caffeine about the dangers of mixing the two substances.

Anheuser's Spykes, Tilt and Bud Extra should have labels saying the drinks may make people feel less impaired than they are, the officials said in a letter to the company. Among the attorneys general signing the letter were officials from Maryland and the District.

The drinks also attract consumers younger than the legal drinking age of 21 because they look like other caffeinated energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Rockstar, the letter said. The fruity or chocolate flavors, colorful packaging and online marketing campaigns also appeal to teenagers, the letter said.

Oh, dear -- flavored alcohol. We can't have that, despite the availability of flavored alcoholic beverages for about as long as i can remember.

And the company points out some minor details about the beverages.

Anheuser-Busch spokeswoman Francine Katz said the St. Louis company does not endorse underage drinking and does not target minors. She said Spykes shots, which are sold in 2-ounce bottles and have as much alcohol as a third of a glass of wine, are less likely to appeal to minors, who typically "drink for instant impact."

In other words, they are the antithesis of what kids like to drink.

Posted by: Greg at 10:36 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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