Energy drink Cocaine has been pulled from stores nationwide by Redux Beverages LLC of Las Vegas. The company plans to sell the drink under a new name.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter last month that said Redux was illegally marketing the drink as a street drug alternative and a dietary supplement. May 4 was a deadline for the company to respond to the warning.
The FDA cited the drink’s labeling and Web site, which included the statements “Speed in a Can,” “Liquid Cocaine” and “Cocaine — Instant Rush.” The company says Cocaine contains no drugs and is marketed as an energy drink. Redux Beverages also believed that all consumers understood that the name was a point of humor — with a tongue-in-cheek approach — and that nobody was misled or actually believed that there was any cocaine in the drink.
The drink may be available online for a limited amount of time — See CoolFitnessGifts.com Energy Drinks page.
Please read this important message about all Energy Drinks:
Energy drinks, by definition, are beverages that are designed to give a burst of energy by using a combination of methylxanthines (caffeine), B vitamins, and exotic herbal ingredients. Energy drinks commonly include caffeine, guarana (extracts from the guarana plant), taurine, various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar, while most brands also offer an artificially sweetened version. The main active ingredient in energy drinks is usually caffeine, the stimulant found in coffee or tea, often in the form of guarana or yerba mate. The average 8-ounce energy drink has about 80mg of caffeine, about the same amount as a weak cup of coffee. Larger drinks (16 oz drinks) contain about 150mg of caffeine. Some drinks have created a controversy by containing about 300mg of caffeine in about 8 ounces.
There are also warnings about mixing the energy drinks with alcohol or drinking too much of the stimulants. There should always be a concern about deadly arrhythmias, excessive nervousness or human performance issues (e.g., driving, safe machine operation, sports, etc.) when any stimulant is abused. Beware of (that is, avoid) using Energy Drinks when the physiological state of the body is NOT normal, such as during fasting, extreme exertion, heat stress, recent or current illness, fever, excess alcohol intake or prolonged lack of rest or lack of sleep.
For best long-term human performance results, find a balanced diet and consider balanced and properly -timed meals with protein and carbohydrate supplement blends that work best for you. Protein and carbohydrate supplements can also keep you alert without the risk of overstimulating.
States Fighting the Cocaine Energy Drink
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is threatening legal action against the company that markets the product because the drink has a high caffeine content and is marketed as a “legal alternative” to the drug. Madigan says the product glamorizes drug use. She says the marketing and sales of the product violate state law by promoting the use of illegal drugs. Illinois Department of Public Health Director Eric Whitaker says calling an energy drink ‘Cocaine ‘and marketing it to kids contradicts the message that kids should stay away from drugs.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced the company’s agreement with his state Monday. said, “Our main complaint about Cocaine is its name and marketing strategy seeking to glorify illegal drug use and exploit the allure of marketing.”
A Redux spokeman said the FDA did not order the company to stop marketing the drink, but officials were concerned about possible legal action.