Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today called on retailers to immediately stop selling alcoholic energy drinks and urged makers to take back existing stock and provide refunds.

            “Unsafe is unfit for sale,” Blumenthal said. “Our message to alcoholic energy drink manufacturers: return to sender -- with full refunds. Makers should provide full refunds to retailers and wholesalers, enabling an immediate and total sales halt. Retailers and wholesalers should pay no penalty for doing the right thing by ceasing sales of these dangerous and potentially deadly beverages.

“Alcoholic energy drinks energize drunks -- encouraging reckless behavior and overconsumption that can seriously injure and kill. Continuing to sell so-called ‘blackout in a can’ endangers lives and public safety.

            “The ban should go into effect now -- no grace periods, no sales of existing stock, no extensions. Storeowners have no wish to knowingly sell dangerous products, and manufacturers should assure they and wholesalers suffer no financial harm. It is my hope and belief that retailers -- enabled by manufacturer refunds -- will immediately remove this perilous and pernicious product from their shelves.”

            Blumenthal has called on the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to take steps immediately halting sales of alcoholic energy drinks after the FDA’s expected ruling. The DCP agreement with wholesalers -- effective Dec. 10 -- does not bar continued sale of alcoholic energy drinks or require refunds.

            For more than a year, Blumenthal has called on the FDA to ban alcoholic energy drinks. Blumenthal, working with other attorneys general, won agreements in 2008 with Miller-Coors and Anheuser-Busch halting production of their alcoholic energy drinks.