Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
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Alveta Ewell: We all know the legal drinking age in Virginia is 21, but what happens if you can't tell a drink is an alcoholic drink?
Tom Schaad: The Alcoholic Beverage Control is on a mission to let the community know about a line of products your children may already be familiar with. And 10 on Your Side's Kay Young is here with our investigation on alcoholic energy drinks. Kay.
Kay Young: Well, guys, you're about to see that these alcoholic beverages actually look like any other energy drinks. The Food and Drug Administration is investigating them, and we found out a few manufacturers have actually stopped making them.
But, today, an agent who trains retailers spent some time with 10 on Your Side to inform you about these potentially deceptive drinks.
Robert Simmons, Jr.: This doesn't look like Budweiser ...
Kay Young: Alcoholic Beverage Control agents train those who serve alcohol to recognize alcohol laws, recognize fake IDs, and now, as 10 on Your Side discovered, to recognize alcoholic beverages?
Robert Simmons, Jr.: Brand confusion. Can anybody tell me which brands are alcohol?
Kay Young: Special Agent Robert Simmons says these drinks present a unique challenge for law enforcement and parents. He's heard from parents who have unwittingly bought them for their own teens.
Robert Simmons, Jr.: But on her way home, she decided to look at the can and realized that it was 9 percent alcohol.
Kay Young: In a passing glance, all these appear to be regular energy drinks, but a closer look reveals many of them do contain alcohol. The difference: alcoholic beverages show how much alcohol is in them. Nonalcoholic drinks have nutrition labels on the cans.
Robert Simmons, Jr.: You could have a student in school drinking it in class and no one would ask the question.
Kay Young: Some drinks have as much as 12 percent alcohol in one can.
10 on Your Side wanted to know the potential impacts of combining alcohol and stimulants on the body. Doctors warn you should not put too much stock in the term alcoholic energy drink.
Dr. Carl Wenzel: If they are going to drink one of these and they're expecting to have energy and stimulation from them, they're going to have quite the opposite.
Kay Young: Dr. Carl Wenzel says the amount of alcohol in these cans will likely outweigh any boost one might get.
Dr. Carl Wenzel: I don't know of any serious athlete who is looking at increasing their performance or any person who is looking at increasing their mental performance who would go out and drink three or four beers before doing an athletic event or before going to an important meeting.
Kay Young: And agents say it's is up to adults to recognize what's on the market and speak with children.
Robert Simmons, Jr.: As a parent, a grandparent, I feel responsible that if my child came into my house, I'm going to wonder, what are you drinking, and I'm going to look at it.
Kay Young: Now, 10 on Your Side learned that a lot of stores have the alcoholic energy drinks separated from nonalcoholic beverages. Some in today's training said it was very eye-opening.
Chris Stolle: I -- I think that you say card everybody and that allows them to sort of hide behind that law. Now, this says you have to verify that age, and how you verify that age, you're going to be held accountable for how you do that.
Kay Young: Turner says it's up to her and her counterparts to be accountable to the public when it comes to underage drinking.
Now, we're on your side with more information to help parents know the difference and the FDA's comments on these drinks. Just look for the links with this story at wavy.com.
Kay Young: I'm Kay Young, 10 on Your Side.