The Food and Drug Administration is demanding makers of alcohol-infused energy drinks to test for evidence that their beverages are safe, after reports of reckless behavior raised eyebrows.
30 beverage makers received letters from the FDA Friday, giving manufacturers 30 days to prove that their beverages are safe.
The FDA has not yet approved caffeine for use in alcoholic beverages nor have they determined it to be hazardous. The FDA action has been taken on the suspicion that caffeine masks the effects of alcohol, leading to increased consumption and reckless behavior.
In their letter to the FDA, the attorneys general say caffeine can disguise the effects of alcohol, leading to "increased risk-taking and other serious alcohol related problems such as traffic accidents, violence, sexual assault and suicide," according to their letter.
MillerCoors acknowledged these hazards in December when they agreed to eliminate caffeine from Sparks, the most popular of alcoholic energy beverages.
Sparks and drinks of its kind make up 1% of total beer sales, roughly $1 billion annually.
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