Day/Time:

Wednesday, February 13, 2008
4:00 p.m. - 5:00s p.m.

Presenter:

Judy Cushing, Oregon Partnership,
Michele Simon, JD, MPH, The Marin Institute with
Bob Denniston, Moderator, Office of National Drug Control Policy

Description:

Alcoholic energy drinks represent the latest effort by the alcohol industry to hook kids. The deliberate use of package designs and marketing tactics that mimic non-alcoholic energy drinks, along with the potential hazards of mixing alcohol with caffeine, together means our youth are being put at increased risk. This workshop will describe how these emerging products are marketed to youth, the risks associated with them, how communities can fight back to make these products less accessible to youth and move public policy at the same time.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about the emergence of energy drinks containing alcohol and the marketing strategies the industry has employed to gain significant market share and confuse the public.
• Participants will gain an understanding of the potential harmful effects of combining alcohol with caffeine and other energy ingredients.
• Coalition leaders will learn how to develop advocacy strategies to reduce youth exposure to these products, remove them from retail shelves, and move policy.