FDA Questions Safety of Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks

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I'm an "OG" (I was at Woodstock) so I've done just about everything the powers that be created, back in the day. One night at a rock concert in NY's Central Park, (think it was The Kinks) we were snorting some crystal and drinking beer. Man, everyone was crazy and able to drink a 12 pack of beer in an hour and a half! Anyway, I picked up a can of this "Joose" stuff tonight because the 9.9 abv intrigued me. Should have read the label first. Read it after I drank it and was wondering why I felt like I did that night in Central Park. I'll never touch the stuff again.

Tony Ferracane of CA 12:42AM April 08, 2010

I guess none of these people have experienced the effect of what this drinks does. My drinks these and boy I agree with the article that he is totally a different person. He is more aggressive, he has mood swings and he is totally different. I myself have a beer or two so I dont condemn the drinking, and I tell him to just stick to regular beer. These drinks are horrible and I cant stand to be around him when he has these drinks. I totally agree that they become more aggressive. These drinks have a horrible reaction, how could people think that adding guarana and taurine caffeine with malt liquor to top it off, could be good for you, its beyond me?

Rosina Caldera of CA 3:30PM February 06, 2010

How does the FDA plan to regulate the bars pouring a can of red bull into a shot of voldka or serving an Irish coffee or how about dinner a bottle of wine and an expresso with dessrt. This notion that you can control caffiene intake with any food or beverage is rediculous. Premixed or not these to things have been just that for years.What they should be looking at is these unregulated herbs they put in all these enery drinks that is more of a potential risk. What do you give a drunk to sober them up.... caffiene. This would mean a bartender could not serve you coffee if you had already consumed alcohol. My biggest question is when did the FDA recieve any authority pertaining to alcohol products. Does the TTB have any authority with food or drugs even though there are food and drugs that contain alcohol. As long as these drinks do not exceed the parts per million by the FDA they need to mind their own business.

Donna Hicks of CO 12:21PM November 14, 2009

More evidence that the government employs only idiots.

Charles Reinstatler of OH 11:46AM November 14, 2009

Are they going after Rum and Coke or Irish Coffee next?

Chris of OH 10:35AM November 14, 2009

Yeah way to go FDA! I agree with the above comments. Its the ALCOHOL thats the causes all of these behaviors. I have had a hankering lately for some Yamazaki and coke classic, but I frankly don't care if they pull the combo drinks off the market. Its one thing to have a mixed drink, but I can see some potential problems if someone is drinking and picks up one of these on the way home at a gas station, especially if they are not used to the caffeine. How much caffeine is in these drinks anyway? I know that some people cannot tolerate caffeine and it makes them unable to sleep, even if they drink it 8+ hours before. I can see someone coming home tired and drinking one of those and then not sleeping and going out boozing some more. Go for the pull FDA but if they are worried about people acting so recklessly and driving drunk then they should bring back the BUD! I am talking legalized marijuana nationwide. I wonder what the DUI statistics have been like in states like California for current years compared to past years before they had medicinal marijuana.

St.Anger of GA 10:18PM November 13, 2009

Does this mean no more coffee drinks at bars?

Cheat Sheet News of CA 9:31PM November 13, 2009

"the consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages has been associated with increased risk of serious injury to oneself and others as a result of driving while intoxicated, sexual assault and other dangerous behavior."
We should give them thirty days to prove to us that caffeine increases the risk of doing stupid things. Where did they pull this one out of? America's is plagued with unemployment and these jokes are trying to kill more jobs. The people who decided to come up with this need to be fired over it. Saying that caffeine is "associated" with criminal behavior is like saying TV sets are "associated" with post riot looting. Would that mean we could't watch TV anymore? Why can't these people focus on things that would benefit the people like they're supposed to do, like approving some of these cancer or diabetes pills that have been on the waiting list for years? Is this really what this organization was formed to do? This is just sad. I think I know what department needs to take pay cuts.

Jack Dubz of CA 6:34PM November 13, 2009

This is just another example of the government trying to regulate what we should or should not be doing. The key point above is that "adults" should be allowed to determine what they put into their bodies, not an authority figure. Being that neither alcohol nor caffeine is an illegal substance, the combination thereof should not be either. Maybe bars and restaurants should ban coffee too!

J Theo of AZ 6:25PM November 13, 2009

Has anybody ever heard of Rum and Coke (a caffeinated beverage and common mixer)? Let's be frank:caffeine has been approved for and is in wide use by billions of adults, teenagers and children worldwide, including a couple of hundred million in the U.S. Booze, on the flip side, is undeniably dangerous, a killer, and has caused more human misery than, arguably, perhaps even war. Let's stop this Orwellian nonsense and be truthful. If anything in a drinker's glass is dangerous, it is the alcohol. And let's face it - we still sell cigarettes in this country. Why not ban them AND booze ... INCLUDING high-voltage caffeinated booze. Well ... why?

Derek Clontz of FL 5:59PM November 13, 2009