Doctors and health campaigners are opposed to Coca-cola's plans to put their high caffeing energy drink Mother on tap in pubs and venues. It's currently being trialled on tap for the first time in two Sydney pubs, including the New Brighton at Manly, owned by Woolworths, before an anticipated wider roll-out across NSW.
Critics say that alcohol and energy drinks were a dangerous cocktail that caused increased rates of violence, drink driving and sexual assault.
The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) said putting Mother on tap alongside beer could lead to its increased consumption as a mixer.
''Energy drinks make people alert and they don't realise how much alcohol they are consuming because the caffeine, guarana and sugar mask the sedative effect of alcohol,'' ADF national policy adviser Geoff Munro said.
''We would be very concerned if energy drinks were made available on tap in pubs. We're concerned because research from other parts of the world shows that young people who mix energy drinks and alcohol are at greater risk of harm through drink driving, violence, unsafe sex and sexual assault.''
A recent US study, published in the medical journal Addictive Behaviours found that patrons consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks were three times more likely to leave a bar highly drunk and four times more likely to drink and drive.
The head of emergency services at St Vincent's Hospital, Gordian Fulde, said: ''There's nothing new in mixing alcohol with sweet drinks, like rum and coke, but now you have stronger stimulants and stronger alcohol and people get into trouble. They often don't know how drunk they are getting.''
Concern about the introduction of Mother on tap comes less than a week after a coalition of police, doctors and paramedics called for a ban on shots, cocktails and pre-mixed drinks with more than 5 per cent alcohol being served in venues after 10pm.
Coca-Cola Amatil, which sells about 50 million cans of Mother a year, said it was not creating a new market by putting the product on tap.
''We are simply targeting an existing market with our product and offering a new way to serve the drink,'' the company said in a statement.
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joker
almost 2 years ago
I definitely agree there's a massive risk in putting Mother on tap. Caffeine addiction is so rife already. The more accessible and available high caffeine drinks are, I'm quite sure our addition to caffeine will only get worse!
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Elise Maree
over 1 year ago
Would it really make a difference if mother was on tap? You can still purchase redbull and mother in cans at pubs and clubs anyway. There is no limit on how many cans you purchase, with vodka mixed in it. I think this is just another way people can access the drink, the same way as beer is sold.
If we want to reduce the harm to people in pubs and clubs, maybe redbull and mother need to be removed completly for it to be effective.
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