Court bans sale of energy drink Cocaine
Published: 28 Nov 09 09:08 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23532/20091128/
The planned launch of a new energy drink called Cocaine has been halted by a court ruling before the product had a chance to hit the shelves in Sweden.
- Swedish concern over Cocaine energy drink (23 Nov 09)
The court’s decision was based on a number of reasons including the absence of warning labels on the product indicating its high caffeine content.
The drink, which has its origins in Las Vegas, Nevada contains three times as much caffeine as competitor Red Bull.
In addition, the court ruled the name was misleading to consumers and, having failed to register its operations to the court, a 20,000 kronor fine was slapped on the company.
It was further revealed that the drink contains D-Ribose, a sugar supplement targeted towards bodybuilders to improve endurance, or patients with chronic fatigue.
”This is not an approved substance in food provisions in Europe,” said Jan Sjögren, group manager at Sweden’s National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket), the authority who sought to ban the sale of the drink.
”I don’t have much more knowledge about it but can speculate that it's a type of sugar.”
The attempt to introduce the drink to Swedish consumers has already aroused much debate. A number of supermarket chains stated they would refuse to stock the drink.
“It has an enormously high caffeine content and a very provocative name,” said Christina Karlsson, dietician for supermarket ICA. ”We decided we would not to sell it in our shops.”
The Skåne-based company who have the right to import the product agree the name is contentious. Yet, co-owner Annica Olofsson adds that responsibility lies with the consumer, not the court.
”You only get one body in this life and it’s up to individuals how they want to take care of it,” she said.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Four jailed for drugging internet date victims
Four thieves who used internet dating sites to find victims who they then robbed after drugging them with a concoction of sedatives and psychosis drugs were sentenced to prison on Wednesday by a Swedish court. READ () »
Stockholm man lay dead in flat for two years
Workmen in southern Stockholm found the body of man who may have lain dead in his flat for over two years, with the police blaming the belated discovery on society's broken social networks. READ () »
Fashion prize turns Rookies into players
Swedish designers who fight for brand-name recognition in the notoriously hard-to-crack fashion business tell The Local's Victoria Hussey about the importance of the Swedish Rookies Award. READ () »
Doc went on holiday as Swede's cancer spread
A Swedish man has been left facing death after his doctor went on holiday, leaving a cancer diagnosis stranded in the computer system while the increasingly desperate patient fought for help elsewhere. READ () »
Thirty fires in third night of Stockholm riots
Police arrested eight people on Tuesday night as thirty cars were torched across southern and western Stockholm, in what was the third consecutive night of unrest in the Swedish capital. READ () »
350 jobs lost as Ericsson shuts Swedish factory
Swedish telecom giant Ericsson has buckled under the pressure of European competition and will turn off the switch on a cable production plant in Sweden, leaving 350 employees without jobs. READ () »
Swedish 'serial killer' cleared of two murders
A man long referred to as Sweden's most notorious serial killer after being convicted of eight murders has been cleared of two more of the killings, prosecutors announced on Tuesday. READ () »
Seven arrested over Stockholm's Husby riots
Seven people were arrested on Tuesday following the Husby riots in northern Stockholm, with Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt warning that the unrest may continue. READ () »
- 22/05 Stockholm man lay dead in flat for two years »
- 22/05 Four jailed for drugging internet date victims »
- 22/05 Swedish 'serial killer' cleared of two murders »
- 22/05 350 jobs lost as Ericsson shuts Swedish factory »
- 22/05 Thirty fires in third night of Stockholm riots »
- 22/05 Fashion prize turns Rookies into players »
- 21/05 Seven arrested over Stockholm's Husby riots »
- 21/05 Body parts found in missing woman search »
- 21/05 Defamation charges for Instagram 'slut-shaming' »
- 21/05 Former Saab CEO arrested for tax crimes »
- 22/05 Police raid suspected leftist extremists »
- 22/05 NSU known as neo-Nazi 'terror cell' before killings »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
- 22/05 Workers battle inspires online game 'Kill Mittal' »
- 22/05 Paris kidnapping gang targets rich women »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
- 22/05 Nestlé invests heavily in Singapore R & D centre »
- 22/05 Swiss ban on toilet flushing 'an urban myth' »
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
In cooperation with DoToday
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
"A week full to the brim with LFC football…. Div 5 LFC match against Nåjdens FK has been moved. This is due to the Svenska Cupen final: 26 May, 17.00 kick off, Nationalarenan Friends Arena, Solna. Next match is on Tuesday (see below). ………………………………………………………… Friday: Div5 Ladies: Rotebro IS FF – Långholmen FC (Skinnaråsens IP) KO: 16.15 ………………………………………………………… Saturday: Vets: Långholmen FC – IFK..." READ »
- 20/5 15:25 Hockey. Hockey. Hockey. (Boston Blatte)
- 16/5 08:32 Be British, be sincere and be bold (Brits Mean Business)
- 19/4 15:47 UK and Sweden sign Defence MOU (The Diplomatic Dispatch)
- 14:08 Your favorite place
- 13:53 Husby Riots and violence against the police...
- 13:47 90% of male population gay?
- 12:53 Favorite mobile phone
- 12:34 Unlocking mobile phones
- 12:29 Living costs in London
- 12:21 Can you recommend an excellent immigration lawyer?
- 11:08 Labor/Swedish Laws regarding Forced Vacations
- 11:03 My scary encounter with Swedbank.
- 07:18 Salary expectations for managing a busy bar?
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
These drinks screw people up.
There is no need for such high levels of stimulants in a soft drink.
If someone needs this level of stimulant in a soft drink they should see a doctor.
When I saw new signs stating that all energy drinks are now banned for people under eighteen at Coop I was so annoyed. If Sweden is seirous about becoming drug-free they need to ban coffee and make sure any family that partakes in the junkie-ritual of fika has their children taken away from them.
The caffeine content of the drink, is equivalent to some caffeine medicines. It is literally way to high.
One can is about 8 coffees. It is to much to give to a teenager as one drink.
Also D-Ribose is not approved in Europe. It can not get past regulatory hurdles. No one needs untested chemicals in drinks aimed at teenagers and young adults.
Also, D-Ribose can and probably will eventually get past the regulators. Livsmedelsverket simply will not tolerate anything named Cocaine and will not tolerate new energy drinks with all the moral panic against energy drinks lately. Most of the legal action against Cocaine in the USA from the FDA has also been about its name and not about its content.
Also, I just looked it up and Cocaine has the amount of caffeine found in three cups of coffee, not 8.
What about eating port that is peroven to be a VERY BAD DIET.
People use it in daily routine and that is also increasing the health budget.
In the USA, they sell a drink called cocaine but have banned a similar drink called pussy.
In parts of Europe they sell a drink called pussy, but have banned a drink called Cocaine.
Branding should have no role in government legislation.
If businesses want to take a moral high ground and try to influence their own social values, then so be it.
But the role of government is not to hinder the use of description.
I for one am very glad that here in Europe what is sold for consumption seems to be more closely watched than in the US. The FDA in my opinion should scruitinize their foods as much as they concentrate on their drugs. For one thing, no one has looked into the amount of hormones in the American beef, pork and chicken products. Medication used to fatten up the herds for maximum profit, but which surely stays in the meat when sold and is then consumed by people.
I'm no nutricionist but I am convinced that one of the main reasons Americans are so obese is that they are poisoning themselves with their regular groceries. Even those people who do their best to eat sensibly still gain a lot of weight.
I have Swedish colleagues who spent a couple of years working in the US and despite continuing their eating and exercise habits as they did here in Sweden still come back 10-15 kg heavier. I am convinced the problem is in the basic ingredients, and all the hidden substances they contain.
I won't even get into the transgenics...
I agree with you fully that the FDA ought to be stricter about foods in the USA. I agree wholeheartedly with that. But what's going on with energy drinks in Sweden has nothing to do with their ingredients and everything to do with moral-panic.
And the thought that Livsmedelsverket sought to ban Cocaine due to its ingredients and not due to its name is ludricous. Livsmedelsverket is not all that different from the FDA. Why else is there so much aspartame and margarine all over this country, just as in the USA?
how about a age limit on the other product first you muppets its the school kids that we need to worry about as that is the ones that have trouble learning when high on caffeine and have drunk 4 cans a day!!!
Under 18's do get alcohol and then tend to spread the cost of illicit alcohol by mixing it with energy drinks such as Red Bull.
The mix of the depressant effect of Alcohol with the lift of the sugar and caffeine can be a killer especially on younger people.
Once they are legally an adult, they can make their own choice but until then, the action of the shops like COOP and ICA may just save a few lives.
I have seen with my own eyes the effect of the lethal mix of vodka and Red Bull
I just love the comments so far
but yes people are crazy what they will imbibe
the worst thing is what karex pointed out we eat enough rubbish (hidden crap) in our food without having to drink this stuff.........then again we eat rubbish in our food then we feel rubbish and then we need this rubbish to feel normal again!
one poison to compensate for another poison . Are we mad or what?
If people don't need caffeine why is the energy drink industry hitting towards the 10 billion mark. Why are there endless coffee houses world wide.
So the name is Cocaine like the drug, are people too stupid to realize it's just a name. Apparently so.