Big Government Goes After Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks

In the latest ridiculous food police -- in this case drink police -- episode, the FDA has given preliminary notice of its intent to ban caffeinated alcoholic beverages such as Four Loko. The FDA says it isn't an outright ban, but

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday told makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that the caffeine in their products has been deemed an "unsafe food additive," and the drinks can no longer be sold in their current form.

If they can't be sold in their current form, that's essentially a ban. This particular do-gooder ban, like most, makes no logical sense. Caffeine is obviously not an "unsafe food additive," as it is in countless products. And apparently the FDA has never heard of rum & coke, bourbon & coke, or any other alcoholic drink & coke. And then there are the high caffeine energy drinks such as Monster and Red Bull that are regularly combined with vodka or other hard liquor. There's no point at all in banning the sale of Joose for supposed safety reasons when you can legally mix Red Bull & vodka. The manufacturers of these beverages are being unfairly singled out, and their profit centers attacked, all because of a hysterical overreaction by big government types who think they should run every one's lives for their own good.