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As Colleges Ban High-Alcohol Energy Drink, Company Claims It’s Safe | Health | Change.org var $j = jQuery.noConflict(); var _gaq = [["_trackPageview","/blog/view/as_colleges_ban_high-alcohol_energy_drink_company_claims_its_safe"]]; // Environment Variables var ENV = {}; ENV['BITLY_LOGIN'] = ‘change’; ENV['BITLY_API_KEY'] = ‘R_b0212d1925f49ac025bdc40b95931393′; ENV['GA_USER_TYPE'] = ‘Guest’;
Colleges across the country are seeking to ban or limit the sale of Four Loko, the highly-caffeinated alcoholic beverage that’s popular on campuses and with young people. Central Washington University and Ramapo College, which both had students go to the emergency room after consuming the beverage, have temporarily banned the drink. At Boston University, the Director of Student Health Services sent an email to the campus warning about the dangers of Four Loko. Harvard and Northeastern have followed suit.
In Pennsylvania, the state Liquor Control Board is asking beverage distributors to stop carrying the malt liquor drinks, which contains up to 12 percent alcohol per can. They’re not outright banning the drink — likely waiting for the FDA to finish a safety review — but are hoping distributors will voluntarily remove it from shelves.
But what’s the company’s response? On October 26, “Phusion Products,” the makers of Four Loko and other alcoholic energy drink, put up a statement on their website regarding the Central Washington University incident, where nine students were sent to the hospital after consuming the beverage.
“Again, the events in central Washington this month were inexcusable. And most would expect our company to disagree with recent decisions to ban our products from college campuses or otherwise restrict their use there. We do not. We agree with the goals that underlie those sentiments.”
The company claims its product it markets the product responsibly and that caffeine and alcohol have been consumed safely for years.
They continue to defend themselves in light of the growing evidence that their product is routinely abused. And their potent mix — a 23.5-ounce can of 12 percent alcohol with over 100 milligrams of caffeine — isn’t just a normal rum and coke. The caffeine helps to mask alcohol’s effects, leading consumers to underestimate how drunk they really are. It’s sometimes described as “wide-awake drunk.”
To be sure, the company is right when they state, “curbing alcohol abuse on college campuses will not be accomplished by singling out a lone product or beverage category.” But do they really go to “great lengths to ensure our products are not sold to underage consumers and are not abused” or “do all we can to ensure that our products are consumed safely and responsibly,” as they state?
It almost seems like the opposite. Their product isn’t just any alcoholic beverage; it’s designed to look like a regular energy drink and the syrupy-sweetness makes it clearly designed for youth looking to mask the taste of alcohol. Senator Schumer (D-NY) recently called on the FTC to investigate the companies, stating that ”Drinks look nearly identical to non-alcoholic energy drinks; style makes distinguishing difficult for parents.”
It’s certainly not the same as “having coffee after a meal with wine,” as the company absurdly claims on their website.
They seem to know it too — they’eve even hired a PR firm to quibble with the claims of how much alcohol a can actually contains.
What’s more, the FDA has never formally approved adding caffeine to alcohol, and earlier this year sent warning letters to several companies that make the beverages asking them to prove they are generally regarded as safe.
But while the FDA and FTC investigate their products, what about the company fessing up and alerting consumers that yes, their product might not actually be safe? Or showing consumers the proof of their alleged tests showing it is safe? If it’s really all about personal responsibility, shouldn’t the company be responsible too? Sign this petition to tell Four Loko you want them to take the “Loko” step and tell consumer’s about the dangers of the product they’re about to consume.
Photo credit: Annie Lindgren
Brie Cadman is Change.org’s health editor. Previous professions include biochemist, clinical trial coordinator, indoor air pollution researcher and farm hand. She earned her Master of Public Health from U.C. Berkeley.
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Nov 02, 2010 @ 07:02PM PT Edwin Bonilla
I support the regulation of high-alcoholic drinks such as Four Loko and ageist solutions are the not the answers. The type of regulation that would help is to regulate how much alcohol is put into a bottle, how much caffeine is put in a bottle, the size of a bottle and the labels on a bottle which state its effects. Senator Schumer should do the proposed regulation in this fashion and not use ageism for the purpose of regulation.
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Nov 03, 2010 @ 07:16AM PT chris sorochin
I was under the impression that all colleges here in the United States of Asininity banned all alcoholic drinks.
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Nov 05, 2010 @ 10:56AM PT Think Before You Drink
This story is another piece of evidence that there is clearly an energy drink epidemic going on in this country
My organization, Think Before You Drink, http://thinkdrink.org is raising awareness about getting a hold of the grip energy drinks are getting on our youth.
Please sign our petition to the FDA commissioner.
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