Abstract
In the US, underage drinkers often consume supersized alcopop–a high-alcohol-content, ready-to-drink flavored alcoholic beverage that is currently regulated as beer. However, calculations in this paper illustrate how the high alcohol by volume and low price of supersized alcopops suggest that they rely on a larger proportion of additives for their alcohol content than permitted to meet the legal definition for beer. From a public safety perspective, it is urgently important that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau assess the formulation of supersized alcopops–specifically, the percent of alcohol in the finished product that is derived from additives. Appropriate reclassification of supersized alcopops as distilled spirits would reduce youth access by resulting in increased price and reduced availability at the retail locations where youth most often obtain alcohol.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 413-417 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 4 Jul 2018 |
Keywords
- Flavored alcoholic beverages (FAB)
- Four Loko
- alcohol reclassification
- flavored malt beverages (FMB)
- supersized alcopops
- wine coolers