Some alcoholic beverages marketed like energy drinks, teenagers say

By Staff Writer

A recent report reveals that some teens are confusing alcohol and energy drinks when they purchase beverages at the store.

According to ABC news affiliate WTVQ out of Kentucky, certain alcoholic drinks are packaged the same way as some brands of energy drinks. One teenager said the beverages "Full Throttle" (energy) and "Joose" (alcohol) are in containers that look similar.

The easiest way to tell the difference, the news provider reports, is to read the nutritional facts on the back of the can. Some drinks that are marketed as energy drinks contain alcohol.

Michael Winkler, a member of the Youth Coalition for Alcohol Education, said that Joose is 9.9 percent alcohol, which is the equivalent of five drinks.

"You drink four or five of these, you're going to end up with alcohol poisoning," adds Winkler.

While energy drinks like "Full Throttle" don't have any alcohol in them, there are some that do. The easiest way to tell is by looking on the back of the can.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 42 percent of high school students surveyed said that they drank some amount of alcohol within the last 30 days. Approximately 24 percent admitted that they binge drank in the past month.