Jamaican brewer, Red Stripe, has tested a new raspberry-flavored alcopop in Jamaica called "Burst". The drink is geared towards 18- to 24-year-olds and Diageo is considering distributing the product in the U.S. The news has outraged many watchdog groups such as Alcohol-Justice. In the U.S., alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death, responsible for an estimated 79,000 fatalities annually. Of those are approximately 5,000 people under age 21, the minimum legal drinking age in the U.S.
"It's clear now that Diageo tests alcopop beverages on 18-24 year old cohorts of young women and men in other countries before marketing them in places like the United States where the drinking age is appropriately higher. Alcopops or FMBs were designed as "cocktails on training wheels," sweet and fruity, to lure underage youth into unhealthy drinking behaviors, especially underage girls. Now we have written proof that Diageo is leading the charge in a race to the bottom of the alcopop barrel to endanger youth." said Bruce Lee Livingston, Executive Director / CEO of Alcohol Justice.
Red Stripe is owned by Diageo which also manufacturers the Smirnoff Ice brand.
