The Washington State House of Representatives Commerce and Labor Committee approved a new legislative bill on Feb. 2 concerning the amount of information available on cans of alcoholic energy drinks.

The original bill would have placed a complete ban on all “stimulant-enhanced malt beverages,” such as Tilt, Sparks, Joose and Four Loko.

However, at a committee meeting on Tuesday a substitute bill was approved, which changes the ban to a new labeling requirement instead.

“We requested this because it’s time to move on it now,” said Washington State Liquor Control Board spokesperson Brian Smith. “There’s enough [research] to go on it now, to take action on it."

According to the bill summary, the packaging redesign would require manufacturers to label the amounts of caffeine, other stimulants and alcohol in the beverage and to print the manufacturer and the location of the manufacturer.  This would apply to all beverages with at least 6 percent alcohol content.

If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds the products to be unsafe and they may take them off the market before the bill is completely passed.

The Liquor Control Board proposed this bill in January and it was put through a public hearing on Jan. 20.  

“I don’t think there are any long-term studies of the [caffeine and alcohol] combination [right now],” Jill Kelly, Western’s dietician, said.

The short-term studies have shown that young consumers are more likely to be aggressive, make dangerous decisions or get injured, she said.

“Before it was a bill, there’s been a lot of medical research that shows the dangers of mixing stimulants with alcoholic beverages,” Smith said.

In November 2009, the FDA said they would begin to study the alcoholic energy drinks and ask the manufacturers of these products to prove they are safe, Smith said.

Kelly said the stimulants by themselves do not pose a threat. Taurine is not dangerous by itself because it is an amino acid and caffeine doses under 300 milligrams are considered to be safe.  

Since the committee approved the bill it will now go through analysis to see if it needs to go through a fiscal committee or straight through to a rules committee.

If it is approved there, it will go to the state Senate and the process will start over again, Smith said.  

“My thought would be because caffeine is a stimulant it’s going to keep somebody more awake and possibly aggressive,” Kelly said.

Be first to comment on this article

Only registered users can post comments.
Please login or register.