Franchot wants caffeinated alcoholic beverages pulled
Maryland’s comptroller wants the state’s liquor stores to stop selling caffeinated alcoholic beverages like the ones made by Four Loko.
Comptroller Peter Franchot called the drinks “a clear public health and public safety threat,” this morning at a Board of Public Works meeting in Annapolis. He said that he's been working with industry representatives for about a week to come to an agreement that would pull them from the shelves.
Bruce Bereano, a lobbyist for two major liquor wholesalers in Maryland, said his clients would agree to the ban. "They will cooperate," he said. Bereano did not know exactly when the beverages would be pulled.
Dangers associated with the drinks have been the source of national news stories in recent days, and Franchot said the Federal Drug Administration appears poised take action some action today on the topic, possibly banning the drinks. The comptroller said he wants companies to yank the drinks before that expected administrative process plays out.
The action might not be necessary, according to news reports Four Loko, one of the major manufacturers of the drink, is going remove caffeine and a few other ingredients from the beverage.
Comptroller Peter Franchot called the drinks “a clear public health and public safety threat,” this morning at a Board of Public Works meeting in Annapolis. He said that he's been working with industry representatives for about a week to come to an agreement that would pull them from the shelves.
Bruce Bereano, a lobbyist for two major liquor wholesalers in Maryland, said his clients would agree to the ban. "They will cooperate," he said. Bereano did not know exactly when the beverages would be pulled.
Dangers associated with the drinks have been the source of national news stories in recent days, and Franchot said the Federal Drug Administration appears poised take action some action today on the topic, possibly banning the drinks. The comptroller said he wants companies to yank the drinks before that expected administrative process plays out.
The action might not be necessary, according to news reports Four Loko, one of the major manufacturers of the drink, is going remove caffeine and a few other ingredients from the beverage.
Comments
Posturing. Nothing more.
They'll just order a Red Bull with vodka.
Posted by: Dana | November 17, 2010 12:48 PM
Well we all know that Big Government knows what's best for us little people. It has worked so well in the Soviet Union and Communist China.
Posted by: mike | November 17, 2010 12:52 PM
Ban caffeinated alcoholic beverages because they are a "clear health and public safety threat" that have been linked to ~5 deaths.
Continue sale of tobacco products that kill ~400,000 people (including non-smokers) per year, but add fancy warning labels to the packs.
Ok. Got it.
Posted by: Jed | November 17, 2010 12:59 PM
so typical of Franchot...jumping on the bandwagon just to get some media coverage when other elected officials have been working on this for several years. Where was Franchot when Gansler needed his support to tax alcopops at the same rate as spirits...he didn't support that effort and these products stayed on the market.
Posted by: cookie | November 17, 2010 1:04 PM
C'mon Pete. Blame the drinker not the drink. Everyone gets on this bandwagon banning some alcoholic drink a few irresponsible kids abuse, now the rest of us alcoholic caffine addicts are screwed. Thats killing commerce. Are you against that,Pete?
Posted by: Jeff Davis | November 17, 2010 1:05 PM
Hysteria!
It's too bad that this hysteria over caffeinated alcoholic beverages is going to put some very good craft-brewed stouts out of business. I predict it will become one of those "ridiculous law puts entrepreneur out of business" stories in a decade or so.
Posted by: Thom | November 17, 2010 1:06 PM
Let adults make adult decisions. We don't need the gubmint telling us what we can and cannot put in our bodies.
Posted by: Jay | November 17, 2010 1:13 PM
If you outlaw caffeinated alcoholic beverages only outlaws will drink them.
Posted by: Neal | November 17, 2010 1:21 PM
Also, how would the banning of caffeinated alcoholic beverages affect the craft brew industry? Would beers made with Espresso or Chocolate have to be taken off the market for caffeine content?
Posted by: Jed | November 17, 2010 1:26 PM
The TRUTH about the Four Loko ban...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QobXa8kh-A
Posted by: Brando | November 17, 2010 2:19 PM
yeah, I love my Van Gogh double espresso vodka. How bout just banning coffee and alcohol in one fast swoop
Posted by: Tif | November 17, 2010 2:20 PM
Please tell us what business this is of Franchot's? Is he not the money man inthe state?
If he wants to ban things he should have run fro King.
Posted by: Get real Peter | November 17, 2010 2:59 PM
Yeah, Cookie...typical Gansler. Ran off half-cocked without doing any groundwork for the sake of a headline, called for a massive tax increase in the middle of a recession and got his ears pinned back by the General Assembly. Looks like Franchot actually managed to get something done on this issue.
Posted by: Hale Thorpe | November 17, 2010 3:07 PM
It's not the mixing of alcohol and caffeine proving fatal. It is, as always, irresponsible use.
It would be nice if Maryland's government could actually be reined in or at least the monopoly status quo threatened.
Posted by: Cliff | November 17, 2010 4:45 PM
Wasn't it underaged individuals who had the "trouble" with the caffeinated alcoholic beverages out in Washington State? We should all be thanking our lucky stars that underage drinkers don't cause the government to ban just plain alcohol.
Posted by: jspoke | November 17, 2010 5:02 PM
I guess he'll want to ban Irish coffee, too?
Posted by: FranchotIsAnArse | November 17, 2010 6:41 PM
I think the comments here show pretty clearly that people value freedom over protecting half a dozen morons from themselves.
Posted by: Terry | November 17, 2010 7:47 PM
Some of the guys on this board really need to get their facts straight. Franchot didn't "ban" anything because he didn't have the authority to do so. In this case, the distributors and liquor stores themselves have agreed, voluntarily, to get these drinks off the shelves. Call me crazy, but I really don't think these folks would be willing to shut down a popular product, and essentially take money out of their own pockets in the middle of a recession, if there wasn't a serious problem with these drinks.
Posted by: Rod | November 19, 2010 12:09 AM
In Soviet Russia, Four Loko can't have you either.
Posted by: From Harford | November 22, 2010 1:18 PM
I have to confess, I've never actually had the drink and know very little about it but this does seem like a bit of an overeaction. Surely if the drink were inherently dangerous, everyone who drank it would be in trouble and that doesn't seem to be the case. Unless
beer suppliers are actively targeting people too young to drink, I feel quite sorry for them on this issue.
Posted by: Becky | December 15, 2010 7:36 AM