Along with 16 more attorney generals from around the country, Mr. Horne made this message clear today in a letter issued by the State of Maryland's Office of the Attorney General to Pabst Brewing asking the renowned beer producer to limit the amount of alcohol in their new malt beverage "Blast By Colt 45."
"At 12% ABV [alcohol by volume] in a 23.5 ounce container, one can of Blast consumed on a single occasion is a binge drinking episode," the letter states adding that binge drinking is defined as "men drinking five (women drinking four) or more servings of alcohol in an hour."
The letter (which you can read here) goes on to assert that because Blast is designed to be consumed while cold and "after the costumer opens the can, there is only a short period of time before the product will lose its optimal temperature and carbonation," it is intended to be consumed in one go.
In other words, the chances are good that drinking a single can of Blast is going to get you drunk and fast.
One can not help but be reminded of the 2010 controversy over the all-too-similar beverage Four Loko. An FDA mandate actually forced the removal of all caffeine from the product which was initially marketed to give consumers an alcoholic buzz and caffeinated kick. That said, reformulated version of Four Loko, like Blast, contain 12 percent alcohol by volume in 23.5 ouce cans.
Are 17 attorney generals acting like fun nazis or should products like Four Loko and Blast have their alcoholic wings clipped? Let us know in the comments.
