Alcohol, Tobacco Products Aimed At Teens?

Among Concerns: Caffeinated, Fruity Drinks That Contain Alcohol, Flavored Tobacco

(CBS)  Peer pressure, catchy advertising, popular culture.

America's youth are inundated with visual appeals to drink and smoke, CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston reports.

While the alcohol and tobacco industries insist their products are aimed at adults, critics charge beverages like Sparks and colored tobacco products are tailor-made for teens. There are fruit-flavored cigars and energy drinks that are high-caffeine - and now, a new twist, up to 9 percent alcohol.

"Alcohol and caffeine are really double trouble when they're marketed to kids and when they create the illusion of alertness combined with the impairment of alcohol," said Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal.

It's not only the content that worries the critics - it's the marketing. From the names, Tilt, Sparks, Joose, to the colorful packaging and cartoon-like images.

"Well, they are influencing younger kids with all these flavors and that's not good," said student Maria Gomez. "When they get older, they might be addicted to these things."

And that is what concerns prosecutors of 27 states and the District of Columbia, who are accusing breweries of promoting products that are "highly attractive to underage youth."

Anheuser Busch refused CBS News interview requests. Miller says it will "fully cooperate with their investigation."

If the breweries don't comply, the attorneys general are threatening lawsuits. Meanwhile, an anti-smoking organization is pushing for tighter regulation of the tobacco industry.

"The sad truth is, a very heavy percentage of tobacco industry marketing is targeted directly at non-smoking adolescents," said Matthew Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Myers heads Tobacco-Free Kids, which issued a damning report against companies like R.J. Reynolds. Eleven years ago, it was forced to drop its cartoon-like Joe Camel ads.

Now, a new controversy - the use of high fashion to sell its Camel brand. R.J. Reynolds insists it's targeting women, not teens.

"Despite what the colors look like, despite what the advertising says, the primary point is: it's illegal to sell tobacco products to minors in all 50 states," said David Howard of the R.J. Reynolds company.

But critics say the problem is not the law - it's the message, which can persuade teens to try drinking and smoking.

[latosha79]

I LOVE THIS TOPIC BECAUSE IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE A DEBATED ISSUE IN MY MEDIA CLASS AT JACKSON STATE. I SUPPORT THE ARTICLE BECAUSE THE ADVERTISING AND MARKETING DEPARTMENTS DEVELOP NEW WAYS TO GET CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT PRODUCT IMAGES APPEAL MORE TO YOUNGER/UNDERAGE AUDIENCES. STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI OVERALL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE RUGULATORY PRACTICE OF TARGETING MINORS.

[lenesm]

I think the real question of all this should be why are the vendors allowed to produce products that are proven to cause damage? We are recalling toys that has been made in China because they contain lead that harms the children. However, we allow the productions of tobacco and alcohol which also harm the health of both children and adults. Isn''t this all a little hypocritical -- just because the industries have a lot of money and is able to lobby for their product in DC -- I''m sure if the tobacco was imported from somewhere else and made somewhere else we would consider not having them available on the US Market.

[dowjones20k]

In a democracy ... should the government tell the citizens how to live thier lives?

How about all the trash that is on television .. why is it that the goevrnment does not intervene in the pitiful state of that venue?

Why dont the do gooders go after hollywierd and make them clean up thier acts?

[fishinfool43]

You can''t make a Jagerbomb without Jagermeister and Red Bull. You can''t smoke a grape blunt without ripping apart a cheap grape flavored cigar and a little bit of weed. Point being, If they want it, they WILL get it regardless of marketing. Makes me wonder how much money they are saving by all the free advertisement the hip-hop/rap artists that glorify the use of said products.

[pinkneygreen]

Alcohol Facts You%u2019ll Never Hear from McCain and Big Booze
%u2022 The alcoholic-beverage industry relies on heavy and addicted drinking for the largest share of its profits. Hazardous drinking (5 or more drinks at one sitting)accounts for more than half of the alcohol industry%u2019s $155 billion market, and more than 75% of the beer industry%u2019s market.
%u2022 Underage alcohol use is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined. More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year%u2014 about 4.65 a day%u2014as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
%u2022 Underage drinking spawns the future heavy and addicted drinking on which the industry depends for most of its sales. People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence at some time in their lives compared with those who have their first drink at age 20 or older.4
%u2022 Nearly 14 million Americans %u2013 one in every 13 adults -- abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Fewer than 25% of those who need treatment get it in a given year.
%u2022 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the U.S., affecting as many as 40,000 babies per year and costing upwards of $5.4 billion per year.




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[michellem99-2009]

In the state of WA they can''t sell the items this story talks about to minors. They card. I am 53. I have been carded at my age. They have the year they can buy it. I do feel the beer,booze,wine ads should me pull from the TV. I remeber the cigerettes ads on TV yeaes ago. They were pulled in 70. If they did the same thing with drink then that is a start in the right way and the money saved. They do use young looking persons..They should use the spots to educate not push it. It is in ye face.

[rowdytexan2]

For what it''s worth, why don''t they legislate out hamburger stands and taco stands, and any restaurant that puts more than 1/2 cup of food on your plate that has fat in it? That would save a huge bundle on obesity and heart disease and diabetes!

Let''s just rule out liquor and beer, and any drink with sugar in it!

Let''s just rule out cars and keep all the crazy driver''s off the streets!

Let''s just rule out nuclear weapons! And nuclear waste that''s leaching out in our water systems?

Let''s just rule out tv so people will get off their behinds and start exercising!

Let''s just rule out tap water, and start buying all our water distilled by the gallon!

Let''s just rule out all the pharmaceuticals we pour down our mouths that attack our liver!

(snort!)

[denn034]

This smoker thinks that''s deplorable.

[michellem99-2009]

RawtyTexan 2. yer not very bright. Look at that texasre yer put in the white house. I call TX texasre. Lived there and got out.
My list.
GEY THE CARS OFF THE ROADS-USE MASS TRANSPORTION.
Let price the healty food that is good for ye so that the poor can afford to eat properly.
Let not bar the tv but put good programming on there.
Let me tell ye lass/lad it is harder for me to extercise. I am multi handicapped.
I live with a person with diabetes,heart probleme,COPD. I am legally blind with C/P.
Yer post is a slap in the face.

[siouxe-2009]

I am not a big fan of the marketing blitz used to promote these seriously addictive products, but i feel that blaming the companies soley because of their packaging is a little off mark.
I personally have never seen any advertisiment for "Tilt", "Sparks" or any other such drink and have noticed that they are stocked in the alcohol dept.
I ask..Why are teens in these aisles? why aren''t these areas roped off, in some way?.. why aren''t we questioning the influence by the parents?
they are ultimately responsible as our "teachers" and "role models!!!"

[grammawhamma]

RowdyTexan2: I liked your post. I don''t see illegal drugs advertised on TV or in magazines...yet many, many teens get them and abuse them. The law is 18 for tobacco and 21 for alcohol...enforce the law (but that''s not happening).

In my opinion...get rid of all the "ask your doctor if this is right for you" commercials. They are targeting hypocondriacs. Also get rid of all the mud slinging political commercials because they are also trying to influence those that are easily brainwashed!!

[grammawhamma]

Wow Michelle, are you having a bad day or what? I don''t see how RowdyTexans post offended you so much...all he/she was trying to point out is that this has become a nanny state...something you say on these boards often. Chill out.

[quiet42]

Why do critics always say items with coloful packaging is for kids? Perhaps they live in a black and gray world but we, as humans, have color vision and might enjoy some color in our products. Just because there is not bright colors in their imagination does not mean they should impose their bleak view upon others.

[quiet42]

Why do critics always say items with colorful packaging is for kids? Perhaps they live in a black and gray world but we, as humans, have color vision and might enjoy some color in our products. Just because there is not bright colors in their imagination does not mean they should impose their bleak view upon others.

[suzieh2308]

This story is ridiculous - I am well over the legal age for both alcohol and tobacco, and I am attracted to new products with colorful packaging! Just because they advertised anything with colors or flavors doesn''t mean it''s for kids!! If the stores selling these products would do their job by carding people, there would not be an issue. I still get carded for buying cigarettes on a regular basis!! And as for the flavored beverages and flavored cigars - these have been around for 10+ years, this is not a new thing! Anyone remember Zima and Mike''s hard lemonade???

[honestabe8]

Alcohol and tobacco marketed to kids? Shocked, I''m shocked. Seriously, I wonder what the Partnership For a Drug Free (except our drugs) America would say about this.

Fishinfool: Grape blunt? Sounds a bit...disgusting...

[extremophil]

Gee...I miss Joe Camel. I think of him everytime a grownup lights my cigarette for me.

[grammawhamma]

I have a Joe Camel T shirt...I wonder if it is a collectors item now?

[tucano2]

Military recruiters, cults,drug dealers, producers of alcohol and tobacco all know that you need to hook ''em early so as to form a life-long fix-seeking addiction. Nothing new here.

[randynason]

What crazy, double messages the adult/marketing world is sending: smoke cigarettes, drink booze after you turn 18, have *** after you turn 18, eat bad food and drive fast cars all you want but, for heaven''s sake, don''t smoke pot and don''t ever, ever buy ciagarettes or booze for anyone under 18. What is 18- The age of reason, sensibility and stability? What''s wrong with this country?

[dan9111]

It''s easy. It''s cigarette companies versus the government, right?

Which is worse: the guy who offers to sell you a cigarette at your own choice, or they guy who points a gun at you and tells you what to do or you will be shot or abducted at his discretion?

Let''s assume cigarettes are pure evil. Surely the guy who is coercing you at gunpoint is even worse. That is, of course, the nature of a goverment that acts, not by advisement and free choice, but by violent response to all those who disagree.

[gary_is_read]

While I agree we should discourage teenagers from smoking & drinking......as a retired military man I must ask if this means congess will no longer send our childen to war at the age of 18? I certainly don''t wany my child being shot or blown away by a bomb at an early age. Chances of being hurt or killed are much greater in a war than sitting home having a drink or smoke. Maybe we should raise the age to 21 to join the military, that way afte coming home from war they can have a drink or smoke legally!!!!

[sharednotion]

If persons who are legally old enough to buy cigarettes, wish to buy flavored cigarettes, I guess that''s their business. But, when manufacturers start putting alcohol (a depressant) and caffeine (a stimulant) in the same drink, does that raise a health issue that the FDA should investigate? And, what about beverages that minors under 18 can buy, that contain caffeine? Should there be a limit on how much caffeine can be in a product and still sell it to teens under 18? So, even if some people don''t see an issue with how products are advertised, what about objective, chemically-based issues about products sold to minors with high caffeine levels? And, should ANY beverage that combines alcohol WITH caffeine be legal at all?

[grammawhamma]

SharedNotion: So anyone under the age of 18 shouldn''t have caffine according to you? Why should caffine become a controlled substance? So now you want McDonalds and Starbucks to card people that order coffee...sure. As for mixing alcohol with caffine...do you suggest a bartender should refuse to serve a person that has been drinking alcohol and then asks for a cup of coffee? Hmmmm.