Though the Division of Liquor Control has no legal authority at this time to ban alcohol energy drinks, the division reached out to Phusion Projects, United Brands Company and all other manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and retailers requesting that they cease any marketing, promotion, manufacture and sale of all alcohol energy drinks in Ohio, according to a news release.
Oxford police have seen a high number of underage drinkers in possession of the drinks. Oxford police Sgt. Jim Squance said the department has a shelf of these types of drinks, confiscated from people who are underage or had an open container.
“We’ve seen a lot of it,” Squance said.
“It’s a combination of the caffeine and the alcohol that’s getting them,” he said. “We find young people that are passed out cold and we can contribute a lot of that to consumption of thee energy drinks that are a combo of alcohol and caffeine.
According to the state, the drinks are often flavored in a way that masks the taste of alcohol, and they are inexpensive.
“In recent months, the division has become aware of serious health concerns associated with the use of alcohol energy drinks, and believes that those products pose a significant threat to the safety and health of Ohio consumers,” Director Kimberly Zurz said in a news release.
The division has put the beverage alcohol industry on notice that failure to cooperate with the request to ban the distribution and sale of alcohol energy drinks in Ohio may lead to the pursuit of appropriate changes in Ohio law. Ohio is among a group of several states that have recently banned alcohol energy drinks or requested that these products be removed from store shelves due to health concerns.
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