Just thought I would start a thread on this topic. Sure it will be a heated discussion but I think it deserves to be discussed. While the major companies put up a front and act like they don't encourage this many of the smaller companies don't shy away from it at all. I know the big companies are worried about getting sued and such but really is anyone really fooled? I actually find it insulting that the big companies think they are fooling the consumer and general public. I guess I can only hope that someday the smaller companies can make it into more bars and clubs without having to lie. I see small companies making energy mixers, branded alcohol and energy drink shot glasses, posting mixed drink recipes on their web sites and even making alcohol and energy drinks pre mixed in cans! Do the big companies really think their denial is going to protect them or are the small companies just asking for trouble?

I don't drink and I have no objection to those who do. I do however think that the ED business is one major incident away from massive negative publicity by partnering their product with alcohol. Sooner or later a carload of kids will be killed by a drunk driver who was reported to have consumed 17 Red Bull & Vodkas.

There are some ED companies who take a stand and will not endorse nor pursue the bar business. One must look a little deeper.

I for one have always been opposed to marketing ED's with alcohol. Mixing a stimulant with a depressant creates chaos for the central nervous system.

With that being said, The big guys shy away from the marketing because of a percieved "social responsibilty" that goes along with being industry leaders, nevermind that one of the big guys got there by the very same marketing that they now disavow.(by a strong court recommendation nonetheless).

Large ED companies do have a responsibilty to advertise their product responsibly to the demographics due to the liability they hold. A company worth $300 mm is more apt to get sued over a "situation" or "incident" than a smaller company with no market capitalization. Therefore, the smaller company, being naive, and having less "exposure" is more willing to take the risk.
As far as your statement "Do the big companies really think their denial is going to protect them " I give you this. What are they denying? Are they denying that customers or bars use their product in a way that it is not intended? The majors can not babysit their consumers, there must be some consumer culpability here. If the majors shy away form direct or indirect marketing of ED's mixing with alcohol I do not think they are on the hook......However, in the ever increasing "nanny state" we are heading down it seems that the manufacturers must warn consumers from themselves and if they don't then it is the manufacturers fault.

I saw this quote today from AU.

Red Bull head of communications Janelle Neath said the adverse effects of alcohol on human health and behavior were "due to the alcoholic drink, not the mixer, be it cola, orange juice, tonic or whatever else is mixed".


That really nailed it. It's the alcohol not the ED. Same article some health official said "These drinks have a similar effect to amphetamines because they overcome the sedating effect of alcohol," Dr Ford said. Sorry but I have had a lot of energy drinks and they do not have similar effects. It's idiots like this Ford guy causing the controversy.

Scum,
Are you saying that the only ingredient that has any relation to the persons physiologoical response after drinking an energy drink combined with alcohol is the alcohol?? Or better yet, is Mrs. Neath suggesting that? If she is suggesting that the RB has nothing to do with the physiological effects of a RB/Vodka then she is in actuality saying that her drink is nothing more than a soda or other sugary mixer.
She just said that RB has no effect other than providing taste( if you read between the lines) thereby, suggesting that the "energy effect" is non existent. So is she sayiong that RB does not provide any energy effects??????????

Furthermore, Dr Ford , IMO , nailed it. The effects of an energy drink on the CNS acts conversely to the effects of alcohol. That is what creates the ampetamine like response in the body. It is the struggle of a depressant and a stimulant and what controls the metabolic triggers in the body and the mind.

Really I have had red bull and the energy is pretty low lol. I guess the thing is that the thing that impairs you is the Alcohol. Sure your less sleepy because of the ED but the alcohol make you impaired not the RB. Coke has caffeine in it and it is mixed with alcohol all the time, coffee is also mixed with alcohol. You never here anyone bash coke or Folgers though. I just think this whole ED and alcohol danger thing is being overblown. Sure people believe they are unimpaired when they drink RB and alcohol but I know plenty of people who drink alcohol alone in large amounts who think they are not impaired. Considering how long RB and Vodka has been popular I have only seen"studies" and no real proof that there is a problem. Alcohol causes many many problems including deaths but no one sues them. How could you sue an ED company when you can't sue Anheuser-Busch or Smirnoff successfully for making a product that impairs you.
I'm still waiting for someone else to jump into this conversation?

People strongly recommend that you don't mix the things together. I've had a jagerbomb before, and they taste really good together. It's just like with any other alcohol (or even energy drink for that matter), MODERATION! As for packaging Alcohol and Energy Drinks together (like Budweiser Energy), it doesn't work out so well. Not only the balance of alcohol and energy drink is whacked out, their is a problem with the formulas in each can (or bottle, or whatever), to be all screwed up. I actually tested out 2 different cans of BudweiserE and both AC's were different from each other! It's a very sketchy thing!