SACRAMENTO, CA ? The California Assembly voted earlier this week to prohibit the sale of caffeinated beer within the state, the Associated Press reports.
The 43-24 vote follows an April vote by the state Senate to ban caffeinated beer, but that chamber must reconsider changes made by the Assembly before the bill can be sent to the governor.
The bill would ban the import, production, distribution or retail sale of beer and other alcohol beverages that include caffeine. Six states have passed similar bans.
Bill sponsor Sen. Alex Padilla claims that the beverages lead to alcohol poisoning and blackouts among college students. ?The added caffeine masks the effects of the high alcohol content, which can lead to binge drinking and dangerous behavior,? he said.
Opponents of the bill, meanwhile, responded that it doesn?t matter what the product is ?�if students under 21 are consuming alcohol, then they are breaking the law. Period.
After regulatory pressure beginning in 2008, some major breweries eliminated caffeinated beers, though smaller companies have since emerged to fill the market void.
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