More on the danger of energy drinks, thanks to Join Together newsletter…..and OP pal, Jim Mosher.
Various state attorneys general and advocacy groups are calling for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Trade Commission and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to ban caffeine-infused alcohol drinks from the market — or at a minimum add warning labels stating that combining caffeine and alcohol can cause health risks, the Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 3.
Drinks such as Joose, Liquid Charge and Four Loko combine malt liquor, vodka or other types of alcohol with caffeine and/or other stimulants. The drinks are particularly popular among younger consumers.
Over a recent 12-month period, Joose’s unit sales more than tripled to 1.3 million cases sold in convenience and drug stores in the U.S., according to Nielsen Co. Unit, a market-research company. Four Loko and Four Maxed also experienced an increase in their unit sales over a 12-month span.
Critics are concerned that manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the amount of caffeine in the drinks, and are urging the federal government to be more active in regulating the products.
Combining caffeine or other stimulants with alcoholic beverages is believed to keep users from feeling drunk, which could lead them to be make reckless choices such as driving while under the influence.
“It’s just a travesty that we can’t get the federal government’s attention on this,” said Jim Mosher, an alcohol-policy expert.
Redondo Beach, the maker of the drink Vicious Vodka, which combines vodka and caffeine, defended the company’s product. “Consumers have been mixing beverages which contain caffeine along with alcoholic beverages for many years — this is not a new trend,” said a company spokeswoman. “We are not aware of any proven health risks related to mixing reasonable amounts of caffeine with alcohol.”
The FDA said it is currently reviewing studies that look at the effects of combining caffeine and alcohol. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau said that it is keeping a close eye on how these drinks are marketed to make sure they are not being advertised as “stimulating” or “energizing.”
Oregon Partnership Blog 
My 18 year old niece passed away, after being on a ventilator in ICU, 2 weeks ago. She was drinking four loko and taking herbal diet supplements. She had no other drugs in her system. This stuff is dangerous!
First and foremost, I am sorry for your lose. However, the reason why your niece passed away was due to alcohol poisoning, those diet supplements had nothing to do with it, and I’m pretty sure you were just clarifying there were no other drugs in her system. Furthermore, females are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol due to their size in comparison with males, and 4 loko equals around a six pack of beer, and because of the concentration and the rate of consumption, no wonder she became poisoned. The combination of cafiene with alcohol, and I’m pretty sure the FDA will come to the same conclusion, does not have any harmful effects when combined; it is simply a person not reading that warning on the front and probably a novice to drinking and shouldn’t be drinking at all. This company and their product should not be punished for consumer negligence, because they gave the warnings about how hard these hit you, and believe me, these things are a buzz and a half.
If people can’t control themselves drinking, yes it can be tragic, but why punish a company and all the consumers who enjoy this drink. I’m sick of people not taking ownership of their actions. This is why America is falling apart in the health department, first people tried filing LAWSUITS against fast food because they didnt know it would make them FAT. People filed LAWSUITS against tobacco companies because they didnt know it could give them CANCER as much as it was made aware it could. NOW people are doing the same thing with alcohol.. everyone needs to stop and take ownership for what they’re doing or suffer the consequences…
I am convinced that these Nanny-State activists are posting fake BS all over the internet about their 17 year old son/daughter/cousin/neice/whatever going to the hospital and/or dying from drinking Four Loko. This is complete nonsense, complete BS. As much as I read this nonsense everwhere, not once has it shown up from a legitimate newsource. Don’t believe the BS these overly protective aholes are posting all over the internet.
BAN FOUR LOCO…..THIS IS REDICULOUS…DID THE MANUFACTURER NOT REALIZE HOW LETHAL THIS DRINK IS? LET FEED THEM TO THE MANUFACTURER AND SEE HOW WELL IT WORKS FOR HIM. KIDS ARE GOING TO BE DYING FROM THIS DRINK….AND THEN WHAT? SHAME ON YOU….
JOEY: THE DRINK CONTAINS 12% ALCOHOL…IN JUST ONE CAN…HOW COULD AN ADULT NOT DIE FROM IT ALSO….MIX IT WITH OTHER LIQUOR…AND THERE YOU HAVE IT…LETHAL…AND YES IT IS THE MANUFACTURERS FAULT FOR PRODUCING SOMETHING SO HIGH IN ALCOHOL IN A FLIPPIN ENERGY DRINK CAN…GIVE ME A BREAK..IF YOU HAD KIDS, WHAT IF IT WAS THEM THAT THIS HAPPENED TO? I THINK YOU WOULD FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE…
KAREN….IM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS…THIS IS SENSELESS…NO REASON FOR THIS CRAP…MAY YOUR NIECE “RIP”…
When people die from drinking ANY kind of alcohol in excess, its their own fault. People always want to put the blame on someone else instead of taking responsibility for their own actions. One can wont kill you, being an idiot does. Also, the alcohol content is clearly marked on a can and its only sold in liquor stores, I think its hilarious when people claim to “mistakenly” drank it. Its pretty obvious it has alcohol in it if youre dumb enough to overlook the label.
Brenda, how can an adult not die from eating too much? Theres a little something I like to called COMMON SENSE that you seem to think everyone lacks. Your precious children are the ones CHOOSING to drink in excess, its their fault for any problems that occur.
This company isnt forcing anyone to drink their product. Like ANY OTHER alcoholic beverage, dont drink in excess. If you dont know your limit youre too stupid to be drinking, and probably too stupid to be writing ignorant (and false) posts on the internet.
I Have Drank Multipule Four Loko’s For About A Year Now Im Still Alive But The Negatives About Drinking Four Loko’s Or Jooses One Day After A Night Of Drinking Loko’s I Relized When I Woke Up I Was Gettin Chest Pain And My Heart Was Beating At A Fast Rate And Till This Day They Do The Same Thing To Me Everytime But That Is My Fault I Should Have Limited Myself Insted Of Buyin Jooses By The Cases And Not Limiting Myself. My Words Of Advise Is Theres Nothing Wrong With DrinkinJoose’s Or Four Loko’s Just Limit Yourself And Parents That Lost Children 2 These Beveriges Im Sorry For The Lost Of a Young Soul And God Bless You, But The Legal Age For Drinking Is 21 Not For Minors Just Exsplain The Effects Of Joose And Four Loko’s…
there nothing wrong as u have stated but i’v had they same problem i’v drinked them 3 to 4 with in 18 hours like every weekend after i eat and such. I only delt with four loko’s when i drink cause they got me to where i needed to be, made me feel super-alright then like u i started feelin the chest pains and and fast rate heart beat ended up getting admitted into the hospital had bed rest for 4 days, docs told me that my mixture of energy suppliments and caffeene was too high and what ever product i was using at the time would be best to stop, only drunk loko’s didnt touch regular enery drinks or energy pills only four loko’s while in the hostipal was perscribed beta blockers when i got out they perscribed me metroprolol taking 1/2 pill twice a day, docs told me irregular heart beat is a health risk, could lead to heart-attack or stroke and that wouldnt look good being that im only 24yrs old so im done with loko’s check your doc i bet money on it the pains and fast pace is they caused u to develope an irregular heart beat…
This is all about personal responsibility and accountability. If college students binge drink and act like idiots there will be consequences. They could get sick or even die. College kids drink, if you ban the Four lokos or whatever then they will just get alcohol poisoning from something else. I have kids and my kids know that they are responsible for their own actions. I have told them to be careful with alcohol and if for some reason they overdosed I wouldn’t be naive enough to try to blame the beverage.
I saw on TV that a woman died because she wrecked her car dunk. Now the friends and family say it was because she drank Four Loko and it should be banned. What’s wrong with these idiots? What happened to the concept of freedom? Besides that, thats what happens when you get drunk and drive…
IT’s WRONG TO LET THE GOVERNMENT CONTROL PEOPLES LIVES!!!!!!!
i have probably drank over 100 four lokos. they are cheap for the amount in them. i have never felt any different than if i were drinking beer or liquor. this is bs. and they say the caffine makes u not feel as drunk. i actually feel like i get drunk quicker and i deffinately know when im drunk. also i am only a 150 ibs male and i have drank 4 four lokos in about 4-5 hours im fine didnt get sick. it all comes down to knowing your limit and not getting behind the wheel. or other stupid stuff. if u enjoy drinking these drink but dont handle it well share one
ok so I am kind of on the fence with this one… I am 22 and have drank four lokos a good amount of times. Half of one will get u drunk and a whole one gets you wasted. As with any alcoholic drink people need to pace themselves and it does say on the can how much alcohol is in it. And all these teens should not be drinking anyways we would have to ban all alcohol if we are worried about minors getting a hold of it. I can say that you do get a bad hangover and I can’t drink them anymore because they make me very sick but I haven’t heard of anyone actually dying from them but I mean you can die from alcohol poisening with any other drink containing alcohol. So maybe parents watch your teens and who they hang out with because 90% of the time they arent just walking into stores buying them
culinary…
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