H.S. Energy Drink Update.

Hey folks

Good Sunday morning to you. If it applies, HAPPY MOTHERS Day to all you Moms out there. In the Health and Science segment today, there’s an update. Remember back on January 29, 2007, in a JMT segment I talked about "energy drinks." "Not Recommended For Children"

I said.

The title of this JMT segment is not a warning by me. It appears on new product that is growing in popularity with kids. Here is some more of what appears on the same product. "Your being lied to." "Search and destroy" "Bring the system down." "A bad influence." It also depicts alternative sports stars like Pat Duffy, Cris Ward, with a message, "Tear down your idols."

What is the Product? "Lost Energy Drink." The warning states, do not consume more than 3 cans a day. Not recommended for children." So WHY are they marketing this product TO children? Has anyone done ANY research as to the long term effects of this and other similar product on long time users?

As I indicated back then, it a new craze

I know, my 15 year old Niece LOVES them. I’ve seen kids drinking these things like water. To me they taste like cough syrup, but that’s beside the point.

Now? Just like anything else, once it starts, to grows, is hard to kill, and people come along and push the envelope further and further. ABC -Alcoholic Energy Drinks -- a Threat to Kids? By DAN CHILDS, ABC News Medical Unit

With edgy names, vivid packaging and occasionally stratospheric levels of caffeine, energy drinks are the beverage of choice for many teens who want to get more out of their drinks than a simple thirst quencher.

But a new offering is raising the eyebrows of some parents and researchers.

My eyebrows have been raised. {Smile}

At first glance, the beverage -- called Spykes -- offers the same fruity flavors, caffeine boost and herbal elixir qualities of many energy drinks currently on the market.

GET THIS.

The difference is that Spykes, as the label indicates, is an alcoholic beverage.

And critics say the compact packaging, low price and flashy online advertising are designed to make it appealing to underage consumers.

"I think it's one more outrageous example of the predatory marketing practices of the alcohol industry," says Susan Foster, vice president and director of policy research at Columbia University's National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse.

"This is a huge public health problem, and it is very hard to regulate."

Alcohol folks. They are now marketing alcohol ENERGY drinks. To kids non-the-less. I warned you about this.

Spykes, which is made by Anheuser-Busch, has roughly the same alcohol content as wine and comes in such flavors as Spicy Mango and Hot Melons.

But it is the energy-drink appeal and the marketing that is nearly exclusively present on the Internet that has some researchers worried.

"This is an issue of corporate responsibility," says James Mosher, an attorney with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation who researches the effects of alcohol marketing campaigns on young audiences.

"Energy drinks are so popular with teens. Clearly they've got to know that the market they are tying in with is an underage market."

Of course they do.

What is Anheuser Busch’s response?

But does a threat truly exist? In a printed statement, John Kaestner, vice president of consumer affairs for Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. in St. Louis, Mo., calls the reaction to Spykes "misguided and unfounded."

He also writes in the statement that Spykes are clearly labeled as containing alcohol.

"The way to prevent underage drinking is not by limiting product choices for adults," the statement reads. "Rather, the solution is to prevent youth access to alcohol by training retailers to properly check IDs, supporting law enforcement officials in enforcing underage-drinking laws, and encouraging parents to set rules and consequences for their sons and daughters."

{Laughing} It’s YOUR fault. You as a parent should prevent your teen from buying something that is CLEARLY marketed to THEM. It’s the cop's fault if they do not enforce the laws preventing your kids from buying the product that is CLEARLY marketed to them. It’s the store clerk's fault if they sell the product to your kid, without checking ID. Yes it is YOUR fault. Not Busch. No, no, no. They are innocent in this. Just suppling choice to adults.

According to Susan Foster,

"There is a point at which public health needs to trump profit. Federal government needs to regulate this kind of marketing as it relates to young people."

Absolutely!

As I said before,

My concern is simply the safety and well being of our kids. I’m just concerned that these products have not been fully tested. Remember the big tobacco industry use to say their product was safe. This is a product designed to boost the energy levels in it’s consumers. If it’s safe, then so be it. They can drink all they want. But if it’s not, lets regulate them. Besides, don’t they already have WAY too much energy as is?

Now we have to add Alcohol? This is way out of control. These have to be regulated of banned all together, until they are proven SAFE. Period.
Peter

Sources;
ME
ABC -Alcoholic Energy Drinks -- a Threat to Kids?