Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks Face Fed Crackdown
Although gaining in popularity, beverages that contain high levels of alcohol and caffeine are dangerous and illegal, say federal officials prepared to clamp down sales.
In a letter to four makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated that adding caffeine to alcohol was unsafe and unapproved, reports the Washington Post.
If the manufactures fail to act on the findings, the FDA could obtain court orders to seize existing products and bar future manufacture, the Post adds.
Users of the products, which are popular among college students, often can’t accurately determine how much alcohol they’ve consumed, experts say, which increases risks of alcohol poisoning, drunk driving and sexual assault.
“I call them killer cocktails,” Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told the Post. “Young people have been dying after drinking this stuff. It’s about time we’re finally doing something about these dangerous drinks.”
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