Sunday, November 15, 2009

Caffeine and alcohol

The FDA is looking into suspected problems with caffeinated alcoholic drinks.
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, a substance added intentionally to food (such as caffeine in alcoholic beverages) is deemed “unsafe” and is unlawful unless its particular use has been approved by FDA regulation, the substance is subject to a prior sanction, or the substance is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). FDA has not approved the use of caffeine in alcoholic beverages and thus such beverages can be lawfully marketed only if their use is subject to a prior sanction or is GRAS. For a substance to be GRAS, there must be evidence of its safety at the levels used and a basis to conclude that this evidence is generally known and accepted by qualified experts.
Which leads me to wonder whether any of the nerds at FDA have ever actually had a drink. Let's see: Kahlua, anyone? How about drinking a cup of coffee to try and sober yourself up?

Here are some of the offending types:
Liquid Charge, Liquid Core, High Gravity Core
Joose, Max Vibe, Max Fury, Max Live, 3Sum
Hard Wired
Smirnoff Raw Tea Malt Beverage
P.I.N.K. Vodka, Tequila, Rum, Gin,
3AM Vodka
Gravity Vodka
V2 Vodka with Caffeine, Everglo Vodka
Vicious Vodka with Caffeine
Slingshot Party Gel
Gruv Malt Beverage with Guarana

Reported problems? Hey if you drink any of this crap, you've got problems. Psychological, not physiological.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for giving us a shopping list!!

    You forgot: Irish coffee, black Russians - dang - it's not noon yet!

    Love your Highly Ineffective posts - I share them at our faculty meetings!!

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  2. Rum & Coke - legal and safe in every bar in America. Our tax dollars at work! What's next - it's illegal to make a grilled cheese sandwich?

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  3. Ahhhhh. Forgot all about the sodas.

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