Hurricane Malt Liquor Threatens Inner City Youth; Public Health Groups Ask Federal Government to Intervene

National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Thursday, 9 September 1999

Twenty-five public health groups today (September 9) requested that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) rescind approval for use of the name "Hurricane" on a malt liquor because it connotes strength, which is a violation of federal regulations governing alcoholic beverage labelling. Hurricane is produced by Anheuser Busch, the nation's largest brewer.

"Our inner cities are being devastated by a 'hurricane' of man's own making," said Stacia Murphy, president of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), the organization which is leading the effort as part of its "Shame on Anheuser Busch" campaign. "By naming this product after one of nature's most powerful storms, Anheuser Busch clearly is trying to convey a sense of potency to minority consumers, many of whom are underage and disenfranchised."

The groups signing the letter asserted that the use of the name Hurricane on a label illustrated with windblown palm trees violates Section 27CFR 7.29 (f) of BATF regulations. These regulations prohibit malt beverage labels from using the words "strong, "full strength" or similar words, statements, designs or devices which are likely to be interpreted as statements of alcoholic content. Hurricane contains 5.9% alcohol by volume; the alcohol content of malt liquor generally ranges from 5.6% to 8%, but labels frequently do not include this information (by contrast, regular beers usually average 4.6% alcohol by volume).

According to a recent federal government survey, malt liquor is especially popular among current African American drinkers who are four times as likely to consume it as the general population. African Americans ages 18 to 24 are nearly five times as likely to drink malt liquor as the general population. Typically sold in 24 or 40 ounce containers (which exceed the federal government's standard of moderate alcohol consumption), malt liquor is widely available in minority communities and commonly mentioned in rap lyrics that characterize inner-city or "gangsta" life.

Introduced in 1996, Hurricane accounts for less than 1% of malt liquor sold in the United States. However, a recent advertising campaign in the New York City subway system, which first brought the beverage to the attention of NCADD, indicates that Anheuser Busch is trying to increase its market share. The new advertising campaign also includes a contest with cash prizes and other premiums that appeal to inner-city youth.

NCADD inaugurated its "Shame On Anheuser Busch" campaign in May when it urged the nation's leading retailers to stop selling "Frank and Louie's Greatest Hits," a compact disk featuring the famous Budweiser lizards which encourages underage drinking. The campaign seeks to expose alcoholic beverage marketing practices that threaten the health of the American public as seriously as those used by tobacco companies.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. provides education, information, help and hope in the fight against the chronic and often fatal disease of alcoholism, and other drug addictions. Founded in 1944, NCADD, with its nationwide network of Affiliates, advocates prevention, intervention and treatment and is committed to ridding the disease of its stigma and its sufferers from their denial and shame.

For more information, or to contact National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, see their website at: www.ncadd.org