The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

Whipahol: Alcoholic whipped cream enters market, Product quickly met with legal restrictions

Whipped cream has always had a naughty reputation. Little kids sneak a puff into their mouths when mom looks away, and older, raunchier characters use it as a component in sexual endeavors, but now it has gone one step further. Cue Whipped Lightning, a new line of alcohol-infused whipped creams.
Whipped Lightning, more commonly known as Whipahol, is a whipped concoction infused with grain alcohol and pressurized into a can. Its creators intend for it to be used as an inventive shot-topper,  helping customers get drunk faster.
“Whipped cream is not just for kids anymore,” reads Whipped Lightning’s website. “It’s all about style and sophistication.”
The Whipahol collection has nine different flavors including Amaretto and German Chocolate.
A can of Whipahol contains 16.75 to 18.25 percent alcohol. Beers like Bud Light only contain 4.2 percent alcohol. Whipahol ranges from 30 to 36.5 proof, so it has the equivalent of three or four beers in one can, depending on the flavor. Whipahol is not considered to be a food product, so it is not subject to FDA labeling requirements. Because of this, the amount of cream and calories in each serving is unclear.
According to Gus Montes de Oca, chief of divisions of operation for Montgomery County’s Department of Liquor Control, Whipahol is not available in Maryland and is currently not being considered for sale in the future. He cites that just weeks after Four Loko came under fire for being dangerous, Whipahol will face scrutiny, and will thus hinder its chances of being legal in Maryland.
In the wake of the Four Loko controversy, many are concerned that Whipahol will be abused by underage drinkers, just like Four Loko was. However, some officials from states that have legalized the product do not view Whipahol this way. 
“It is very unlikely that Whipahol will be as dangerous as Four Loko,” said Rebecca Gettings, Director of Public Affairs for Virginia’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. “Four Loko has the alcoholic equivalent of four to five beers, and I would think by the time a person consumed that much whipped cream, he or she would be sick and stop consuming.”
Whipped Lightning is currently available for purchase in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
“While it looks like a sweet treat, one bottle packs a punch,” said Montes. “The worry is that if a product looks like something else, you may not be aware there is a lot of alcohol in it.”
While it has been speculated to create a hysteria much like Four Loko did, Whipahol will probably not reach underage drinkers at CHS because it will be difficult to obtain. 
 “We do not predict that it will ever be sold in [Montgomery] county,” said Montes. “After Four Loko came under fire as college students were abusing it, some worry this new alcohol-infused topping could fill the void.”

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Whipahol: Alcoholic whipped cream enters market, Product quickly met with legal restrictions