Portman Group warns retailers on cannabis-flavoured gin

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 04-Dec-07, 10:15

LONDON - The Portman Group has cracked down on a range of cannabis-flavoured drinks from Spanish producer Beveland SA.

A publican from Bristol complained about three products; Perigan's Cannabis-Flavoured Gin, Iganoff Cannabis-Flavoured Vodka and Rodnik's Cannabis-Flavoured Absinthe. The label on each of the bottles features a picture of what looks like a cannabis leaf.

The Portman Group's independent complaints panel decided that all three products breach its code of practice on the naming, packaging and promotion of alcoholic drinks because of their illicit drug association. The body has sent an alert bulletin to retailers urging them not to stock the product until the marketing is altered to comply with the code.

David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, said such a blatant breach of the alcohol marketing rules is unusual: 'Too many young adults these days regard alcohol and illicit drugs as interchangeable. The industry must not contribute to this attitude but instead distance itself totally from illegal drugs,' he added.

Comments

Charles Hooper - 13/12/2007

Mr David Poley should be advised that alcohol and drugs are one and the same in terms of potential addiction and long term detrimental physical effects. The issue it seems is not whether the drinks should taste of cannabis (each to their own!) but whether the packaging should show it contains the flavour of cannabis. In which case the solution bust be to remove all suggestion of alchohol and drug for any packaging or promotional material and replaced with the much loved Government Health Warning. "Death Juice - Drinking Kills!" Get real Mr Poley - are you trying to tell me that Cannabis Flavouring (or the mention of it) is actually more harmful than drinking Absinthe?