High-energy alcopops pack dangerous punch without warning

Commenting on a story on page 6 of today's Sydney Morning Herald ('Call for health warnings on alcoholic energy drinks'), Dr Kaye said: "While alcohol impairs judgement, stimulants such as caffeine or guarana mask the effects.
 
"Drinkers can become 'wide awake drunks'.
 
"The Iemma government is slow off the mark in warning consumers that they are increasing the risk of injuring themselves and others.
 
"While Victoria has begun a Consumer Affairs inquiry, NSW Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney is busy passing the buck to the state's Food Authority.
 
"Meanwhile drinkers of these high-energy alcopops are exposed to approximately twice the risk of doing harm to themselves or others compared to consumers of equivalent amounts of alcohol not mixed with stimulants, according to one American study.
 
"Mandatory labelling is urgently needed to warn drinkers that they are choosing a dangerous cocktail of stimulants and alcohol.
 
"The caffeine content for one high-energy alcopop on sale in NSW is twice that of Coca-Cola.  Combined with an 8 percent alcohol content, this drink comes with no warnings while its name implies that it will increase energy levels.
 
"Consumers are clearly being mislead into a false sense of safety when they drink such beverages.
 
"This is not something that can be left up to self regulation. No marketer wants to advertise harmful side-effects of their products.
 
"Only government intervention can ensure that the high-energy alcopops drinkers are forewarned that their choice will have dramatically different effects compared to other premixed alcoholic beverages or energy drinks," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455