| Comment Number: | 526363-00053 |
| Received: | 11/20/2006 2:52:48 PM |
| Organization: | Hanley Center |
| Commenter: | Carol Colleran |
| State: | FL |
| Agency: | Federal Trade Commission |
| Rule: | Alcohol Reports |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
From: Carol Colleran, executive vice president, public policy and national affairs, Hanley Center. Hanley Center, West Palm Beach Florida, is a treatment facility, with a mission to bring hope and help for recovery to those with alcohol and other chemicals, and their families through a holistic, multi-disciplinary program founded on the Twelve Step Philosophy. A disturbing trend has emerged in alcohol marketing: the development and advertising of potent novelty liquors and cocktails. The drinks themselves often bear names with “tini” on the end, like Appletini, and are presented in flamboyant, often oversized martini glasses. These are like soda pop on steroids, and are presented as “fun” or sophisticated drinks that taste so fruity the drinker may not realize how potent they are until a few of the glasses have been drained. Another “fun” drink that appeals to young people is a Jello shot; a kind of alcoholic Jello salad that doesn’t hit the imbiber for about an hour, during which time she has helped herself to at least several. Advertising for this new genre of liquor and drinks presents a picture of sophistication, being ”with it” and really enjoying life. It is insidious that this message is also delivered in popular, now rebroadcast TV series like “Sex and the City,” in which it is the thing to do for girlfriends to gather for drinks at a popular bar in order to talk to each other. This has actually started a trend. There is another trend that effects young people, and that is the legal and ubiquitous espresso/coffee cafés like Starbucks. Kids gather here in numbers over double espresso drinks. Caffeine is also gulped down with any number of youth-oriented “energy” drinks. We wonder if these super-caffeinated drinks are gateways to stronger drug use among youth, who seem to need a caffeine kick to get going or stay energized.