Kids Developing A Taste For 'Alco-Pops'

Most adults may not be familiar with "alco-pops," but an increasing number of teenagers are drinking the sweet, fruit flavored alcoholic beverages. Sweet-Tasting, But Too Tempting For Teens A new study released by the Center for Science in the Public Interest shows that teenagers are twice as likely to have tried an "alco-pop" as other alcoholic beverages. CSPI focus groups showed that teens like the beverages' soda-like taste and flashy packaging. Among the brand names are Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Rick’s Spiked Lemonade, Doc Otis’ Hard Lemonade, Jed’s Hard Lemonade, Tequiza, Sublime, and Hooper’s Hooch. The fruit-flavored, malt beverages contain slightly more alcohol than beer. "Industry marketing of those starter suds is partly to blame for their growing appeal to young people," CSPI's George Hacker said. "If you don't like beer, you might drink that." The Center and some lawmakers are now calling on the federal government to crack down on the industry's marketing of these new drinks. Beer companies, the main producers of the "alco-pop" products, insist they're not targeting teens. We think we've made the products both from a promotional perspective, and from a marketing perspective, clearly an adult beverage, and we think that will stand scrutiny," Jeff Becker of the Beer Institute said. But according to a CSPI poll, most teenagers and adults surveyed believe that the new drinks are marketed primarily to people under the legal alcohol purchase age of 21. Nine in 10 teens and 67 percent of adults think that companies make “alco-pops” taste like lemonade to lure young people into trying them.