Alcopop Advocacy
What is an Alcopop?
• Alcopops are alcoholic beverages that have been made to disguise the taste of alcohol and are meant to mock the look and tastes of soda, juice, and energy drinks.
What are Alcopops?
• Many alcopops have high alcohol content.
• Some alcopops have 12% alcohol per 23.5 oz can = about 4-‐5 drinks in one container.
• That’s considered a binge drink in one can!
What does it look like?
• Alcopops look very similar to other energy drinks, juices, and popular sodas.
Where can I find them?
• Just like any other juice, soda or energy drink, these alcopops are sold in convenience stores as well as grocery stores.
Examples
• Mike’s Hard Lemonade • Four Loko • Blast by Colt 45 • Rockstar 21 • Joose • Jello Shots • Infused Whip Cream • Teeny Tiny Shooters
Why is underage drinking a problem?
• Underage drinking cost the ciXzens of North Carolina $1.5 billion in 2010.
• These costs include: – medical care, – work loss, and – pain and suffering associated with the mulXple problems resulXng from the use of alcohol by youth
Cost and effects of Alcopops
How are alcopops marketed to youth?
• Price: alcopops are less expensive that bo_led water in some instances.
• Place: they are widely available • PromoXon: Product placement on Facebook and other youth-‐oriented media is common.
Starter Drink?
Fools Law Enforcement – Utah Example
What is the NC law?
• NC GS 18b 101 (14) defines “liquor” as a disXlled or ethyl alcohol, including spirits …, in closed containers for beverage use regardless of their dilu/on.”
• Any amount of liquor added to a drink makes it a liquor.
How does liquor end up in alcopops?
• Alcopops start out as beer. • Then manufacturers remove the color, taste, and much of the alcohol from the beer, leaving mostly water.
• They then add flavorings, sweeteners, and spirits for the finished product.
How is the law not being followed?
• The alcohol industry cleverly calls alcopops “flavored malt beverages.”
• The state of NC currently classifies as a malt beverage, and;
• Taxes alcopops the same as beer
Why sell alcopops as a malt beverage?
• The malt beverage category is taxed much less than liquor.
• Lower taxes on alcopops keeps product prices down. This appeals to youth.
• Allows liquor brands to be adverXsed outside of the ABC stores in NC.
• Allows their product to be sold in more places (convenience and grocery stores).
What do we want from you?
• Call for acXon – Sign our peXXon – Get organizaXons to sign onto a le_er of support – Call/write your legislators – Write a le_er to the editor of your local newspaper
– Call/write commissioners at the NC ABC Commission
Alcopops=DisXlled Spirits
• Alcopops should be classified as a liquor (spirit)
• Sold in ABC stores • Taxed properly!!