The Government of Costa Rica will order a beer to change the label of its marijuana flavored style.
Health Secretary of Costa Rica will order a beer importer to change the label of a swiss beer that tastes like marijuana, even thou it doesn’t contain any drug. “It may promote the consumption” is the official statement.
The Health Secretary, María Ávila, stated today to Radio Monumental that “there’s a law about alcoholic advertising, that includes labeling and packaging. This beer won’t be forbidden, we will only ask for the label to be changed“.
On its label, the swiss beer Hanfblüte, shows two farmers cutting marijuana on a harvest, and on its cap, there’s a drawing of a marijuana leaf. Some analysis showed that there’s no ‘pot’ on that beer, but some other weed similar to cannabis (hemp), widely used in Europe on cooking recipes.
It also contains an artificial essence to give the flavor and aroma of marijuana, but it doesn’t lead to addiction to the drug. Nonetheless, the Health Secretary will ask the firm to replace all stock in order to keep selling it. According to the Secretary, the current label and cap are means of deceitful advertising and subliminal ads, inducing buyers to consume real marijuana.
“We have to protect ourselves, knowing that marijuana is an illegal drug, and this advertising would be subliminally inducing the consumption of the real drug“, said Ávila. Costa Rican law about psychotropics prohibits any ad about illegal drugs.
The Secretary explained that on the following days, representatives of the importers will meet with the health authorities, to analyze the whole matter and determine the next steps. The swiss beer, sold for about U$S 2 a bottle, indicates on its label that it contains spring water, malted barley, hops and cannabis aroma, and it shows a 5.2% alcohol.
Source in spanish: Terra
