www.alkoholpolitik.ch

It may have been the most important public hearing on alcopops to date, and yet two major producers of these dangerous products couldn’t be bothered to show up.
The New York Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse held a public hearing on April 12 to discuss the need to restrict youth access to alcopops: sweet, fruit-flavored alcohol drinks, often with alcohol levels as high as 12%. Alcopops producers directly market them to underage drinkers, and cost hundreds of lives and billions of dollars of alcohol-related harm annually.
Setting an example for all states, New York State has conducted studies that revealed the startling availability of alcopops to teens. Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester), chair of the Committee, recently introduced Senate Bill 4221 to address the problem by restricting the sale of flavored malt beverages to liquor stores. As part of the legislative process, the recent Committee hearing provided a forum for both for both opponents and proponents to make their case about alcopop availability on the record and before relevant lawmakers. … (Source: Marin Institute, 04/20/11)

Facing public pressure and a likely regulatory ban, the maker of Four Loko says it is dropping caffeine and two other ingredients from the alcoholic drink popular with students.
Phusion Projects announced Tuesday night that it would reformulate its energy drinks to remove caffeine, guarana and taurine. The move comes as a federal government ruling against Four Loko and some 40 to 50 drinks like it is apparently imminent. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/17/10) aolnews.com, 11/17/10

Phusion Projects, LLC, which makes the alcoholic energy drink Four Loko — known to college students as „blackout in a can“ — has suddenly gotten „serious“ about alcohol abuse and underage drinking on college campuses.
On Nov. 4, company founders sent a letter to about 300 college presidents, deans, and alcohol counselors with information about its products. They offered to help subsidize alcohol education programming, and sought to work with college representatives to address alcohol abuse and underage drinking, which they described as “both a fundamental priority and an ultimate responsibility that we share with the entire alcoholic beverage industry.” … (Source: Join Together, 11/10/10)