FED: Milk-based alcohol drinks appeal to the young: study

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2006
FED: Milk-based alcohol drinks appeal to the young: study

SYDNEY, April 3 AAP - Most youngsters cannot tell the difference between milk-based
alcoholic drinks and milkshakes, NSW researchers have found.

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) surveyed 350 people between the
ages of 12 to 30 to determine which drinks appealed most to adolescents and young adults
and whether palatability changed with age.

In the world-first study, the centre found under-age drinkers could not tell the difference
between normal chocolate milk and a chocolate milk vodka-based drink.

The findings have led to calls for a ban on milk-based alcoholic drinks and a reconsideration
of vodka premixed with soft drinks.

"We certainly should consider banning them...young people cannot tell the difference
between chocolate milk and vodka-based milk," NDARC Associate Professor Jan Copeland told
News Ltd newpapers today.

The chocolate vodka Mudshake and watermelon Bacardi Breezer were named most palatable
by participants.

"Now we have good, strong, data to say to alcohol companies that we need to get rid
of milk drinks and that vodka drinks look risky," NDarc's Paul Dillon told News Ltd.

Most of the young people surveyed believed the drinks were marketed to apeal to them,
with packaging, size and placement deliberately set up to attract a younger market.

"Some of these products are not viewed by young people as appealing in their taste
and packaging, whereas others are extremely palatable and there is the belief held among
adolescents, that they are targeted towards them," Prof Copeland said.

AAP lb/rs

KEYWORD: ALCOHOL

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