The Federal Trade Commission is being urged to investigate the marketing of flavored alcoholic drinks with caffeine that appear to be explicitly designed to attract underage drinkers.
ALBANY, NEW YORK (AP) -- In a letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, New York Sen. Charles Schumer says the drinks' colorful cans are also designed to befuddle parents and police with labels that resemble nonalcoholic energy drinks.
Schumer says cans for drinks such as Joose and Four Loko use small print to disclose alcohol content of up to 12 percent, about twice that of beer.
Michael Mikhail, chief executive of United Brands Co., which makes Joose, says the company markets nationally through beer distributors and target consumers over 21.
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