Fox News: Caffeinated drink a gateway to cocaine addiction Nick Langewis and David Edwards

Published: Thursday April 10, 2008



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Print This Email This "Pure Uncut Energy," says the packaging of a white, powdery energy drink mix sold as Blow, containing 240 mg of caffeine per serving. One 8.3-ounce can of energy beverage Red Bull, in comparison, contains 80 mg of caffeine, and a 12-ounce serving of Jolt Cola comes in with 72 mg. Blow, also slang for the early-20th century toothache remedy turned illegal recreational drug cocaine, comes in such presentations as the "Recreational User Pack" and "Fiender's Hook-Up." Accessories include a mirror and fake credit card that can be used to separate the substance into "lines," much like those one would prepare with intent to force a powder such as cocaine to transcend the blood-brain barrier and enter one's bloodstream, with the assistance of a rapid intake of air through the nasal cavity, to induce a pleasurable chemical reaction (or, "to snort it to get high"). A letter from the Food and Drug Administration has raised concerns with the product's manufacturers about its suggestive marketing tactics. The agency shares the concerns of the segment's skeptical panelists that Blow could pose a public health risk. "We have a tremendous amount of respect for the FDA," says Logan Gola, CEO of Las Vegas-based Blow Energy Drink Mix, "but...we feel we're marketing the product legally, and most importantly our attorneys feel that we're marketing the product legally and lawfully." "We're not marketing towards kids at all," Gola adds. "We're an adult product, and we firmly believe that adults have the freedom to choose which products they support." The drug references, Gola continues, are meant to cater to an adult sense of humor rather than encourage illegal drug use. He insists that Blow is only meant to compete with other energy drinks. "We go after the party crowd--you know, the edgy crowd--and they absolutely love Blow." The entire exchange, from Fox News' Live Desk, can be viewed below, as broadcast on April 10, 2008.



