AG Coakley Calls on Pabst Brewing Company to Stop Selling or Alter New Product Blast by Colt 45
Known as "Binge-In-A-Can," Drink Offers Equivalent of Five Beers in One Serving
Earlier this month, Pabst introduced its Blast by Colt 45 as a flavored malt beverage in fruit flavors of grape, strawberry lemonade, strawberry watermelon, and blueberry pomegranate, with an alcohol concentration of 12% in brightly colored 23.5 ounce single serving cans. This means that each single serving contains the equivalent of nearly five servings of alcohol. Anyone who consumes a can of Blast within an hour will have engaged in binge drinking as defined by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Attorneys General are concerned that its marketing of the product targets underage youth. As part of its marketing, it has enlisted celebrity hip hop/rap music artist Snoop Dogg, and Blast is being promoted largely through social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Pabst is also marketing the product through launch parties, some of which are designated as 18 plus.
"At a time when we're fighting to prevent underage drinking and binge drinking, we are urging Pabst to rethink the dangers posed by Blast," said AG Martha Coakley. "We also believe the promotion of this 'binge-in-a-can' is aimed at the youngest of drinkers as well as underage youth."
Last fall, after urging by Attorneys General and a review by the Food and Drug Administration, the popular alcohol energy drink Four Loko was pulled from the market after reports surfaced that children as young as 13-years-old were drinking the product, which also had a 12% alcohol concentration in a 23.5 ounce single serving can. The drink also had a caffeine additive, which the FDA later banned, that allowed users of the product to stay awake and drink more.
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