Bloomington, Indy Retailers Nix Alcoholic Energy Drink Sales

Photo: Marianne Holland

Some Indiana retailers say they'll stop selling energy drinks which contain alcohol, like these.

The Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers is asking the state to ban high-alcohol, high-energy drinks being sold by retailers across Indiana.

The Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers is asking its members to take the first step by pulling the high-energy, high-alcohol drinks off their shelves.  The products combine stimulants, such as caffeine, with alcohol, sometimes as high as twelve percent.  Regulatory agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and New York have already taken steps to ban the product.  Now organization president John Livengood said he wants Indiana to do the same.

“We’ve asked the commission to take action,” Livengood said.  “I believe the authority to, although they have some question as to whether they have the authority to act on their own.  I asked them if they didn’t feel they had the authority to ban it in Indiana with all retailers, that they join us in asking the legislature for that authority.”

Brad Rider of United Package Liquors in Indianapolis said his company pulled the products from its shelves last week.  In Bloomington, Bid Red Liquors has followed suit.