Ventura County VCBH Behavioral Health Department Best Science, Best Service, Best Outcomes ” A Division of Ventura County Health Care Agency Removing the Landmines: Youth at Risk James F. Mosher, JD Alcohol Policy Consultations September 29, 2010 Presentation at the Recovery Happens 2010 Conference entitled: Youth & Alcohol: Reducing the Risks Conference sponsored by Ventura County Behavioral Health Department, Alcohol and Drug Program.
Alcoholic Energy Drinks (AEDs): What are they? • Prepackaged beverages that combine alcohol with high levels of caffeine and other additives • Contain between 4% and 12% alcohol in 8 oz. to 23.5 oz. cans
Alcoholic Energy Drinks: Impact on Adolescents Depressant Added to Stimulant
Caffeine Use • Caffeine is “generally recognized as safe” by the US Food and Drug Administration as an additive to soda • Minimum “safe” level of use in adolescents is unknown as studies are based on adults
Caffeine Use • Disrupts sleep patterns • Falsely stimulates the reward and reinforcement system of the brain.
Adolescent brains are still developing and are more vulnerable to these and other negative effects. (Temple, 2009)
Risk Taking and Caffeine Studies have found that energy drink consumption among college students and adolescents is associated with: •Increase in impulsivity and sensation seeking •Sexual risk taking •Tobacco & illegal drug use •Aggressive behavior •Attention & conduct problems (Jones and Lejuez, 2005; Miller, 2008)
The Energy Drink Market: Youth Driven • One in three teens are likely to use energy drinks compared to one in ten adults. • Youth consumption is rapidly increasing.
Youth/Adult Energy Drink Consumers 35% 30% 25% Youth (12-17) 20% Adults (18+) 15% 10% 5% 0% Regular Users Heavy Users (10+/month) Mintel International Group 2007
Annual Sales of Energy Drinks U.S., Billions of Dollars [Projected] Source: xowill-team.com
Why are these potentially harmful? Joose is 12% alcohol in a 23.5 oz can � One can of Joose is similar in alcohol content to almost 5 shots, 5 bottles of beer or almost an entire bottle of wine with an unknown amount of caffeine
Alcohol + Energy Drinks = Increased Risk of Injury • Stimulants cause a reduced subjective feeling of intoxication. • Alcohol’s effects on motor skills, judgment, and mental acuity are not affected by stimulants S. E. Ferreira, Marco T. de Mello, S. Pompe ´ ia,& M. L. Oliveira de Souza- Formigoni 2006.
Alcohol + Energy Drinks = Increased Risk of Injury •The result: Increased risk taking and increased risk of injury – A “Wide Awake Drunk” •Young, inexperienced drinkers are most likely to confuse the effects of mixing stimulants with alcohol.
College Students are at Particular Risk Students who mixed alcohol and energy drinks had double the risk of: • Being hurt or injured; • Requiring medical attention; • Driving with an intoxicated driver; • Being taken advantage of sexually; or • Taking advantage of another sexually. (O’Brien, 2007)
Patrons leaving bars in a college community reporting consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages were: • three times more likely to be highly intoxicated • four times more likely to report an intention to drive than other drinking patrons. (Thombs, et. al, 2009)
Ventura County, CA car crash caused by a drunk driver who consumed Joose Alcoholic Energy Drink
The 4 Ps of Total Product Marketing Promotion Place Price “Total Marketing… combines all the key marketing elements into a single orchestrated thrust.” A
Blurred Lines Between Energy Drinks and AEDs Which of these energy drink brands contain alcohol?
At One San Diego Middle School… Jovita Juarez, a Prevention Specialist, made a presentation to staff at the school about energy drinks. After the presentation, teachers checked the campus during lunch to see how popular the drinks were. They found that 12 of the 43 students with energy drinks were drinking alcohol (Oct 2007)
Retailer Product Confusion
Typical AED Website
Place/Availability of AEDs West Ventura County Retail Alcohol Outlets* • All Liquor Stores • All Circle “K”’s • All 7-11’s • Almost all of Mom & Pop Markets • All Gas Stations where alcohol sold • Von’s, Alpha Beta, Ralph’s *Based on results from an on-site survey conducted in 2008.
Price Comparison: Energy Drinks vs. AEDs $2.39/16 oz = $.15/oz $2.59/23.5 oz = $.11/oz ($4.00/32 oz = $.125/oz)
AEDs: Mixing Energy Drinks with Alcohol +
“Perfect Mix”
“The Ultimate Mixer”
“The Ultimate Mixer” Images from Liquid Ice’s website
Alcohol + Energy + Sports? Actual comment from the Joose website
State Attorneys General Investigation •Miller/Coors and Anheuser-Busch agree to remove stimulants from Sparks, Tilt and Bud Extra. •Miller/Coors agrees to discontinue youth-oriented marketing for Sparks.
State Attorneys General: Action on Alcoholic Energy Drinks WA ME OR VT ID MA NY WY RI MI IA CT NE OH SF MD UT IL WV CA DC KA VA KY TN AZ OK NM AR SC MS AL LA Alaska Hawaii Signed agreements with A-B & Miller and signed letter to TTB Signed letter to TTB
State Action • Montana reclassifies AEDs as distilled spirits (2009) • California and Washington consider legislation to ban AEDs (2010) • States launch educational campaigns (2009 – 2010)
State Educational Posters
Action at the Federal Level • In November 2009 the Federal Drug Administration required manufacturers of beverages that combine alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulants to prove their products are safe. The investigation is still pending. • In July 2010, four U.S. Senators (including Senator Feinstein) sent letters to the FDA and Federal Trade Commission urging them to take action.
State Controls and Strategies Call upon the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Department to revisit policies and positions regarding alcoholic energy drinks. The Department needs to develop protocols for compliance checks focused on these drinks. It can also develop special educational materials for retailers and the public.
Strategies from Other Countries In the wake of several recent deaths linked to energy drinks, a number of countries have instituted restrictions on their use. BANNED ALTOGETHER: Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Uruguay, and Iceland ban high- caffeine/taurine energy drinks. So did Canada until 2004 and France until 2008. REGULATED SALES IN PHARMACIES Sweden WARNING LABELS REQUIRED Canada, cautioning against use by children or pregnant women, use in large quantities or use with alcohol. UNREGULATED United States.
Thousand Oaks, CA enacts AED warning sign ordinance
What Else Can be Done? 1. Learn about the products, their packaging, their risks and their settings of use. LOCAL MATTERS. 2. Encourage off-sale retailers to voluntarily remove pre-mixed alcoholic energy drinks from shelves. 3. Become the on-campus expert, inform parents, faculty, staff and admin. Monitor social networking and brand websites
What Can be Done (Re-visit Policies)? 4. Focus law enforcement attention on alcoholic energy drinks. Conduct compliance checks in retail outlets. 5. Encourage District to take a formal position on retail sales near schools.
What Else Can be Done? 6. Highlight the problems associated with alcoholic energy drinks in the media. 7. Highlight the problems associated with alcoholic energy drinks in educational materials and websites designed to alert the public to youth alcohol and other drug problems. Work with your County prevention office, Friday Night Live, Cal Youth Council
Conclusion • Questions? • Comments? Dan Hicks, Ventura County Limits 805-981-9577 Visit www.VenturaCountyLimits.org
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