Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is threatening to sue a coffee manufacturer she said is glorifying drug use.
Madigan, a Democrat, is demanding that Doll God, LLC, stop marketing and sales of Meth Coffee in Illinois.
"Significant resources have been devoted to combating the methamphetamine epidemic in our state, and we are deeply concerned that your marketing of Meth Coffee will perpetuate the use of this devastating drug," she wrote to the company this week.
The attorney general's office said the product is being advertised as an illicit drug, with claims that it has been roasted by a "master druggist" and its Web site has on it images of syringes and addicts.
The product's packaging says consumers "can actually chew them whole, snort the powder dry, cook it in a lighter and huff … or just forget the caboose and mainline."
Madigan said the product violates the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as well as the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
If the San Francisco-based company does not voluntarily discontinue its marketing and sales in Illinois, Madigan said her office will seek injunctive relief and civil penalties.
"Methamphetamine production and addiction have inflicted severe damage on communities throughout our state. As part of our fight against this dangerous drug, we have been working extensively to make sure that young people are not enticed to try it," Madigan said.
"We cannot allow companies like Doll God to glorify meth use and, as a result, weaken our efforts to educate young people on the hazards of drug use," she added.