Media Release
January 10, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Shauna Helfert, Liquor Control, Department of Revenue,
406-444-1464, shelfert@mt.gov
Contact: Charity Watt Levis, Information Officer, Montana Department
of Transportation
406-444-7205, cwattlevis@mt.gov
 
Beware of ‘energy’ drinks containing alcohol 
Montana Department of Transportation warns parents and retailers of
look-alike alcoholic energy drinks

If your teen is hooked on the popular energy drinks that have made
their way to the forefront of beverages with a boost, you may want to
look twice at the can. 

Alcoholic energy drinks are available to consumers in almost any
grocery outlet, and although it is illegal for minors to buy these
drinks, checkers can mistake the item for a non-alcoholic version.

The packaging of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottles and cans are
designed to look very similar, and that creates a need for retailers
and parents to be more vigilant. The labels can be almost identical,
and it can be difficult to distinguish whether the beverage contains
alcohol. One reason minors are getting away with purchasing these
drinks is because store clerks are not properly trained to recognize
the drinks that contain alcohol.

“People need to understand that in some cases, there is twice as much
alcohol in these so-called ‘energy drinks’ than in a can of beer,”
said Shauna Helfert of the Liquor Control Division, Montana
Department of Revenue. “What’s even worse is that these alcoholic
drinks are mixed with caffeine, which reduces the perception of the
effects of alcohol.” 

These products are popular with underage drinkers because of their
taste, low prices and the effect it has on them. Teens like the
drinks because the caffeine helps reduce the sluggish effects of the
alcohol, but the combination of stimulant and intoxicant can be
lethal. Other factors attracting young drinkers to these products are
their non-traditional ad campaigns and bright, trendy labels – all
geared toward a younger demographic. 

According to recent Montana alcohol use statistics, among youth 12-17
years of age, Montana was recently ranked highest for binge alcohol
use (17.10% compared to the national average of 10.86%), and fourth
highest in alcohol use in the same age group (23% compared to the
national average of 17.65%). 

Representatives from the Montana Department of Transportation feel
the real tragedy lies in the fact that Montana consistently ranks
among the top ten states for alcohol-related traffic deaths and
underage drinkers account for ten percent of those deaths.  It’s
imperative to always drive sober and make certain your children
understand the dangers and consequences of driving impaired.

To report sales of alcohol to minors, call the non-emergency number
for your local police or sheriff’s office.  To report a suspected
impaired driver, dial 911.

Those who work in the sale of alcoholic beverages are encouraged to
attend a Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service class.  For more
information on this, contact the Montana Department of Transportation
at (406) 444-7411 or the TTY number is (406) 444-7696 or
1-800-335-7592, or use the Montana Relay at 711.