How are these different? Three have alcohol, one doesn't

Virginia-Pilot ^ | April 25, 2010 | Kathy Adams

[fightinJAG]

The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began sending underage operatives into stores in the 1990s in an attempt to buy alcohol, usually beer.

But in the past year, they began targeting another beverage: alcoholic energy drinks.

The rising popularity of the drinks with teens fueled the change, said Robert Simmons Jr., an ABC special agent. They pose a special problem because they look like their non alcoholic counterparts, making them easy to slip past distracted or uninformed cashiers and fool parents and sometimes even police, he said. But with as much caffeine as several cups of coffee and twice as much alcohol as beer, they can be dangerous in the hands of teenagers, Simmons added.

"We're starting to see young people who are starting to get hurt," he said, "whether it's a car accident or where they're OD'ing. Too much of any drink can be harmful. Too much caffeine can be harmful."

Alcoholic energy drinks are not new. They started showing up in stores in early 2005. But the issue was brought home recently when police linked an alcoholic energy drink to the March 7 death of a Virginia Beach teen.

Investigators say one of the beverages played a role in the early morning car crash that killed passenger Joseph "Joey" Fonseca, 16. The driver, another 16-year-old, is now facing charges of drunken driving and involuntary manslaughter. The teens were good friends and teammates on the Kempsville High School varsity baseball team, friends said.

[Sarajevo]

But with as much caffeine as several cups of coffee and twice as much alcohol as beer,

I never acquired a taste for coffee and vodka......

[1rudeboy]

No, because you can do stupid things faster. Win - win.

[Bernard]

It’s officially the 21st Century: “Here, hold my energy drink and watch this!”

[Rifleman]

Haven’t any of these boobs heard of Irish Coffee? Tastes much better than the canned “energy” drinks, too.

[Loud Mime]

Alcohol went from a childish challenge to an appreciation of the skills of whoever makes my port and red wines. It went from rowdiness to relaxation.

Adding energy and alcohol to the immature is a true formula for big problems. They need to pass out as soon as they feel the alcohol.

[libertarian27]

But yet kids can buy mouthwash, cough medicine and vanilla extract without even a hint of a required ID check.

Imitation Vanilla Extract, 13% alcohol,
Pure Vanilla Extract, 35% alcohol
Imitation Rum, 29% alcohol
Marsala Cooking Wine, 14% alcohol
Listerine Vanilla Mint mouth wash, 21.6% alcohol
Vicks NyQuil Cough, 10% alcohol

[JimRed]

Marsala Cooking Wine, 14% alcohol

But they add salt to it, and it tastes really crummy except as a cooking additive.

[Vision]

(: