OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Despite previous warnings about consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks, Health Canada has approved the sale of alcohol energy drinks at liquor stores, Canwest News Service reports.

The government agency considered the issue for more than a year before issuing a directive that allows alcohol beverages to contain caffeine, as long as it's from a "natural" caffeine source. Alcohol energy drinks typically derive their caffeine from guarana.

The directive stands in sharp contrast to the one it issued last year to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. In January 2009, Health Canada told the CFIA that adding vitamins, amino acids and caffeine to alcohol beverages was not permitted pursuant to Food and Drug Acts and other regulations. And "alcohol beverages formulated with these ingredients, which are frequently added to energy drinks, are subject to enforcement action by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency," the agency said at the time.

Chris Layton, a spokesperson for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, said that the new directive makes it clear that pre-mixed alcohol drinks are permitted under Canada's food and drugs regulations.

"The LCBO is in full compliance with the Health Canada directive that went out," Layton said. "The letter stated that it was illegal to add caffeine to beverage alcohol, and any caffeine must derive from natural sources, [such as coffee, guarana or tea]."

Public health advocates were upset with the ruling.