BuzzBallz cocktails have raised concerns among some about the high alcohol content
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A wave of sugary, high-alcohol canned cocktails is gaining ground among drinkers, raising concerns among some experts.
BuzzBallz, a brand of pre-mixed, ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages created in 2009, has received renewed attention online in recent years, especially among young people.
Sold in small, neon-colored round containers, most BuzzBallz drinks are 200 milliliters of 15% alcohol-by-volume (ABV), which contains about two standard alcoholic beverages in one container.
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One viral TikTok video shows a man approaching adults and asking them to hit a BuzzBallz Biggie in public for $100. The top version contains 1.75 liters of 15% ABV alcohol.
The video, which has garnered more than 750,000 likes, has drawn thousands of comments from shocked viewers.
Younger drinkers are increasingly turning to high-alcohol, ready-to-drink cocktails like BuzzBallz as concerns grow among experts about the dangers of overdosing. (GCFitzpatrick Images/Alamy Stock Photo; iStock)
“I'll do this for free,” wrote another.
“My problem is, I will do this with very little money,” said another.
Sweet taste, hidden dangers?
The fun and drinkability of BuzzBallz products plays a “huge role” in its popularity, said Cesar Wurm, a Georgia-based tourism executive and author of “The Power of Addiction: Finding Freedom in Acceptance and Recovery.”
Wurm told Fox News Digital that high alcohol content can be masked by taste — making it difficult for people to gauge how much they're drinking.
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“For a young or inexperienced consumer, that disconnect between taste and power can increase risk,” he said.
There's also a behavioral component, Wurm said, as members of Gen Z tend to “value information, social interaction and immediacy.”
The premium BuzzBallz Biggies contain 1.75 liters of 15% alcohol-by-volume. (Photo by David Tonelson/Alamy Stock)
Ready-to-drink beverages “go easy on that with no preparation required, easy distribution and are 'social media friendly,'” he added.
Bright packaging can also “create the impression that a product is safer or less dangerous than it actually is,” Wurm said.
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“From a risk perspective, the combination of high alcohol content, ease of use and attractive design can accelerate overuse, especially in informal settings,” he noted.
“The concern is less about the format itself and more about how accessible and unafraid it is to make high quality alcohol products.”
Ready-to-drink cocktails require no preparation, making them easy to share and popular at social gatherings among adults. (Stock)
Wurm, who has been sober for more than a decade, emphasized the importance of “awareness, education and transparency about what is consumed.”
He added that Gen Z is “one of the most conscious generations when it comes to health and wellness.”
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“We see a concomitant increase in moderate, curious behavior and non-alcoholic alternatives, suggesting that this is not a one-sided trend, but has a complex relationship with alcohol in general,” he said.
Ravi Sawhney, design expert and founder of RKS Design, said drinks are a “designed experience.”
“We like that the product is very social and associated with fun, but we are also very serious about our role in promoting responsible consumption.”
“When something looks fun and harmless, we take less risk without realizing it, even if the opposite is true,” Sawhney, who is based in California, told Fox News Digital.
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“For Gen Z, who are more familiar with visual culture and expressions of identity, these drinks can feel more like an extension of lifestyle than something with consequences. That disconnect between how they feel and what they actually do is where the real danger lies.”
The brand responds to problems
A spokesperson for BuzzBallz told Fox News Digital that the company's products are “designed for people of legal drinking age.”
Some experts say the accessibility and ease of drinking alcoholic beverages may accelerate overuse in public places. (Stock)
“We love that this product has a community and is associated with fun, but we are also very serious about our role in promoting responsible consumption,” said a spokesperson.
“We fully support and encourage responsible drinking habits.”
“We fully support and encourage responsible drinking habits and do not encourage illegal, excessive or careless drinking in any way.”
The spokesperson added that BuzzBallz' marketing is “focused on social events, not the act of consumption itself.”
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“In doing so, we ensure that BuzzBallz is always presented as a fun, colorful, and portable product designed for adult social occasions such as a beach day, concert or party,” added the spokesperson.
The company is based in Carrollton, Texas. In 2024, it was acquired by the Sazerac Company, a major global spirits company.
