A federal inquiry into the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages may end sales of the hybrid drinks unless manufacturers demonstrate the safety of their products.
In a Nov. 13 press release, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it had sent a letter to 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages regarding the safety and legality of their products. Among the companies listed were United Brands Company, Inc., producer of Joose, and Phusion Projects LLC, makers of Four Loko.
The letter informed the companies that if it is determined that the use of caffeine in alcoholic beverages is not labeled by the FDA as “Generally Recognized As Safe,” the agency could bring sanctions, including the removal of the product from stores.
The release adds there are no regulations permitting the addition of caffeine, at any level, into alcoholic beverages. The release noted that the FDA had only given approval for caffeine to be used as an ingredient in soft drinks at approved levels.
Large brewers, such as MillerCoors, agreed in December 2008 to remove caffeine from its popular drink Sparks. Anheuser-Busch also agreed to remove caffeine from its beverages Tilt and Bud Extra.
Steven Clarke, director of the Virginia Tech Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center, said the drinks were particularly popular among college-age drinkers.
“I do get a lot of students consuming these beverages,” Clarke said. “You don’t really see anybody else consuming these drinks.”
Local managers for 7-Eleven and Kroger, two chains that sell the beverages locally, were unable to comment about the products’ popularity for this story.
Clarke said that the inclusion of caffeine could mask the negative effects of consuming alcohol.
“One of the important cues your body gives when you’re drinking is reduced energy,” Clarke said. “Increasing those energy levels masks that effect. It gets rid of that natural gauge.”
Philip Bogenberger, a public relations specialist for the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control, said that the drinks create what he called a “wide-awake drunk.”
“Because you’re getting the caffeine you may not be realizing the level of alcohol you’re consuming,” Bogenberger said. “You may not show some of the symptoms of someone who consumes a beer or wine.”
A study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that students consuming energy drinks with alcohol were more likely to be injured, be involved in nonconsensual sex, or ride with a drunken driver.
Clarke noted that one 23.5 ounce can of the beverage Joose could contain as much alcohol as 4.3 standard servings of alcohol along with as much caffeine as two or three cups of coffee. Clarke said he would be in favor of the products being removed from the shelves.
“I think they’re dangerous,” Clarke said. “It’s irresponsible of the beverage industry to have these for sale.”
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I agree that people should be able to make their own decisions, but the article was helpful in showing students just how much alcohol and caffeine is in one can of Joose.
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I have friends that would chug a can of Joose in under 10 minutes and think nothing of drinking three in one afternoon. Sometimes to spice it up we'd mix bourbon and Joose in beer pong cups (I'm guilty of that one too). The "9% Alcohol" on the label doesn't sound too menacing because it doesn't taste like alcohol.
Comparing it to Red Bull/Vodka isn't really a fair comparison because you know how amped a can of Red Bull will get you, and you know how much alcohol is in a shot of vodka. Instead of banning Joose-like drinks they should add some sort of warning to the label so you know that one can is equal to 5 beers + 3 cups of coffee.
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If you're an adult and you don't have the mental faculties to look at the label information and compare it to coffee and beer, no amount of government regulation will ever save you from yourself. Not to mention, this sets a ridiculous double-standard. The last time I checked, there's not even a label at all on a rum and Coke downtown, but I'll bet you that it contains lots of alcohol and lots of caffeine.
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well im sorry i thought i was a grown man and if i wanna drink something like that ill drink it,smoking is bad for you but no one is going to those off the self
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Also, it seems interesting that the major alcohol distributers no longer have caffeine in their drinks and all the sudden the USDA is pushing for abolishment. Is it that the major companies couldn't compete with the smaller, newer energy drinks and were worried about their sales of regular beer to the underage crowd? That's what it seems to me. Let's prohibit these popular new drinks that the majors can't compete with so these kids go back to buying mass quantities of cheap beer.
Also, what's the difference then of kids crushing redbulls or 5-hour energies prior to drinking? It will still have the same affect, so this movement to prohibit these drinks will not change drinking habits.
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Oh man, now I can't get JOOSED anymore
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It looks like the only real danger here is the FDA, which is clearly drunk on power.
Quoting the Wake Forest study is useless without noting the reference group. Students consuming these beverages were found more likely to experience negative consequences when compared to whom? A control group that didn't drink alcohol of any type, or a group that drank comparable amounts of alcohol without caffeine?
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of course... the same government loosening the shackles on marijuana is now demonizing alcohol infused soda pop. makes TOTAL sense.
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Every person who has commented above is an idiot. The difference is that you know when you have a Red Bull & Vodka or a Rum & Coke exactly what you are getting, i.e. how much alcohol and caffeine. With these drinks, you don't, and they sell them in much higher quantities. When was the last time you had a Triple Red Bull & 5-Shot Vodka Drink? If you think you have articulated a legitimate argument by stating that you have done worse, then you are nothing but an idiotic human who thinks its cool to kill brain cells while getting bombed. The reason for a ban coincides with every single story you idiots tell. Grow up, its people like you who get stuff like this banned.
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I don't think you understood my point. I'm not trying to say that I've done worse, just saying that a labeled, prepackaged drink provides you with more information about what you're consuming than a drink mixed by a bartender filling 20 drink orders at once. If you don't want 23.5 ounces of 11% alcohol, don't drink it. Also, how exactly do you know the amount of caffeine in a Red Bull and Vodka or rum and Coke? Red Bull and Coke don't tell how much caffeine they contain on their labels, and even if they did, you'd have to ask the bartender to show you the can before he throws it away. Unless you had looked it up somewhere (the same thing you'd have to do to find out how much caffeine is in a Joose), I don't know where you're getting your information. As for the alcohol part, it's not as though I see every bartender downtown carefully measuring the amount of liquor that goes into every well drink. Even when measured properly, a double rum and Coke or a double Red Bull and Vodka have more alcohol by volume than these energy drinks. So what exactly is your point? It seems that your main problem is with the size of the can. So again, decide not to drink one; leave it to the professionals.
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Iv had 3 red bulls and 5 shots of vodka. its called college twatface. get used to it.
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shut up.what you have to say is dumb. let people make their own decisions in life. and dont bag on other people and how they think that just makes you imature.
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We aren't telling you how to life yo life. So dont critize us with what we drink or what we do. Thanks.
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Can we please not forget the fact that you must be 21 to purchase alcohol?? Old enough to read packaging.. it states the percentage of alcohol and energy on the label.. it shouldnt have to make comparisons.. if a person is to stupid to not read the label or to not know what it means, its their own damn fault.
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let ur balls drop faggot u obviously dont have any friends and never got laidresu
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A triple Red Bull and 5 shots of vodka are not nearly the same as one 4 loko of joosed. The article stated it was about 2-3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. Red contains taurine, an amino acid which helps to accelerate your heart so it will beat faster so you will have more oxygen which will make you feel like you have more energy. Feel free to tell me exactly how everyone reacts to taurine as opposed to caffeine where you know how you feel after 2 cups of coffee. Also one Red Bull and 3-4 shots would be a much more appropriate comparison.
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Look kid your a douche... you grow up. You know EXACTLY how much alcohol is in it cause it says it on the freakin can.... and who cares how much caffeine is in it if you cant handle drinkin it you obviously shouldnt be... And honestly why are you complaining about other people and there brain cells? its there life dont sit here and say stuff cause i bet there is a huge chance you dont even drink and your trying to make the people who do suffer cause you dont drink. just shut up your an idiot and YOU grow up....
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Even if they take the caffeine out of drinks adults are going to mix alcohol and caffeine no matter what. I don't see the point in banning them, just slap a warning sticker on them.
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banning four lokos is a stupid idea.they are the GREATEST thing ever made. put a damn warning sticker on it.
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yea i know
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Four lokos is the BEST. STRIKE!
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STRIKE ALSO THIS IS BULLSHI* THAT THEY WANNA DO THIS SHI*
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Dont ban four loko!!! It's the bees knees!!!
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it took them a study to figure drinking can lead to bad things?
At least the energy makes you last longer
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I think the real issue with drinks like Four Lokos and Joose is that it has an enormous appeal to the underage drinking community. Getting drunk is easier when you can spend $2.50-$5.00 on a couple Four Lokos. It's more expensive to buy more beer, and it's harder to sneak all those cans around.
Four Lokos and Joose appeal to underage drinkers more so than legal drinkers, especially considering the sudden rise in popularity of energy drinks by teenage consumers. The real issue here should not be focused on the safety of the drink; people can mix caffeine and alcohol all they want. Furthermore, the Four Lokos and Joose cans say that they are alcoholic energy drinks. Rather, the crux of the issue is it's large appeal to teenagers/underage drinkers.
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Look at the industry now, it appeals to the young. Look at Mike's Hard Lemonade, Smirnoff, or Jack Daniels' wine coolers. How about margarita popsicles or 15% alcoholic whipped cream? The alcohol companies are picking up where the cigarette companies were forced to leave off. Four Lokos is nothing more than drinking a couple Jagaer Bombs(red bull and Jagaer). Tonight was my first time drinking 4 Lokos, but I did so for research as I work at a liquor store. This drink is no more to be fear than any other combination. The only downside that I can see is the loss of income from energy drink companies and alcohol companies that are used to getting revenues from a mixture. The drink definitely jacks you up, but I've done a lot of drugs and drink a lot currently and there is no comparision; drugs are way worse, so stop comparing it to coke, because it's nothing like it. Peace and good will.
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This is Unfair !!!!
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you are totally right!!!! glad someone here has a little brain left in their head...and funny it comes from an admitted drug user lol.... i want to hug you for be great !
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this is stupid...really stupid
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If you ban Four Loko due to the mixture of caffeine and alcohol to create a "wide-awake drunk" and the potential dangers it may cause, then what in the hell is Redbull and vodka? Jägerbombs? It isn't like this is a new invention. It is simply taking out the middleman and combined them already to be sold as is rather than buying Red Bull and THEN vodka. All alcohol has dangers.
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ok look i feel and same as all the other ppl on here leaving comments i bet they will agree with this y is it that you can go and get paid to kill someone called army marines ect. but you cant go to the damn store and buy a beer or a four lokos or joose with out the government flipping shi* about it now why the fuc* is that because that want to try and control things they cant like are you kidding me i dont care how you people look at the 2 drinks bc of the energy drink part of it there is no different from going and taking 5 shots of jack and going and buying a monster or something like that or a red bull like this is a wast of time to even concider doing its our life our everything let of deside what we wanna do with it.......
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This is the most ignorant and uneducated comment I have ever read. The issue here is safety and the majority of people purchasing these beverages are underage drinkers. This has nothing to do with the government trying to control you. All it's going to take is one angry mom sueing the company because their kid died of alcohol poisoning and they will argue everything from the fact that there is no warning label. Not to mention the packaging is targeted to appeal to a younger crowd. You can say that "well if you're dumb enough to not know what they are then that's on them". But that's not a valid argument.
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Heres the email address to the FDA if you do not wan this drink to become banned because of YOUNG underage children abusing alcohol speak up!
industry@fda.gov
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I think it's one of those things that they are doing just to see if it's safe.
They need to cover their butts because if they DON'T have FDA approval and DON'T have a warning, then they could be sued. Sure, maybe by kids who are stupid or by people who usually know what they are getting into. Who knows, but they need to test it to make sure it is safe by itself.
It's all a legal matter, and I say, let them do it if they have to.
If your argument is that they should just let people be stupid, well then yeah the stupid people could end up suing the company and bankrupting them.
I'm all for warning labels and FDA approval, at this point.
If you argue that warning labels are stupid and no one looks at them, well why do they have to do it for cigarettes then? And for all other alcohol? It's a legal matter, and since the caffeine is mixed in then the company who is doing it on a large scale must protect themselves.
If your argument is that okay, so bartenders do it, why don't they have warning labels? Well, because they don't serve people on a large scale basis as a company does (it's not country-wide), so their chances of getting sued are small.
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whats "irresponsible" is the people who are drinking it and don't know when to stop. if people want to be as stupid as they are maybe they deserve an embarrassing video the next day, and monster hangover or a fine for fighting and violence.
i'm 19.i like 4 lokos. i used to get a bottle of UV blue before i found four lokos. i think i found something safer, wouldnt you? when i go out to party now ill ask only for one though. one four loko and a 18pk of labbatts. the four loko will give me a buzz and some caffine to stay up long enough. and the beer for when thats gone, and for pong or flip cup, and theres leftovers the next day always.
i hear stories about people funneling sparks or four loko. and other people talk about how bad ass that is. no, thats stupid. i funneled sparks once. i saw it again rather soon. and so did they.
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people need to be smarter and more in control. they are ruining good drinks for everyone. honestly, let them get into the trouble they get into and weed out the idiots in this country and leave the smarter half of the population to do as they please. we're over populated anyways.
its the same situation again all over for me when they banned clove cigarettes. they thought that only younger people were smoking them and starting to smoke because of them. meanwhile they completly ignore the older, legal population of people that still smoked and enjoyed them and now their all pissed off and ranting.
i started with newports, then smoked cloves, then back to newports after the ban and am now coughing up blood. that never happened with a clove... older people of legal age are still drinking lokos too. not just college kids or myself.
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Where the hell is our freedom? Do not ban Four Lokos just because a few stupid kids don't know their limits too drinking. Who gives a **** if its too strong, That is the point. Vodka also has the same affect along with every other booze on the shelf, Are they going too ban all of those too? If we keep letting them ban everything we in joy in life. Were going too never be allowed too make our own discussions and think for ourselves. Other people are just going too be doing it for us. So Children stop blaming your accidents on four loko and take some responsibility for your own actions Or are planet is really screwed.
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Four Loko is by far the best alcoholic energy drink in the free market. On numerous occasions I have consumed 2+ Loko’s within 30 minutes and had the time of my life (what people tell me the next day). During one event my friend and I smashed a hole in every door in his apartment. It ended with him smashing a hole from the inside of the closet and recreating the infamous scene from the Shining, "HEEERRRRESS JOHNNY" never laughed that hard in my life.
For all of you that have not experimented with this before, you should take three cans of different flavors and mix it in a jug. You know have a genuine drink called “Four Loko Punch”. The best part is it lives up to its name you will punch things after drinking it.
In all seriousness, I can get a bottle of Grain Alcohol, 151, or malt liquor beverages if I want. I know what the outcome of drinking these things are. It’s absolutely stupid to have the FDA or any other entity to play "daddy". Change the label if you need to. It’s my right to drink alcohol; in fact it’s my right under the 21st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
In the same sense that many of these control freaks argue the validity of the USA Patriot Act:
If you have a problem with, and try to ban Four Loko you are a TERRORIST!
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4 Loko can be dangerous if when you're drinking, you don't take responsibility for your actions. It's mixing a downer (alcohol) with an upper (Guarana-caffeine). But this is no different than a classic Jagerbomb. (Red Bull + Jagermeister) Red Bull and Jager haven't been banned and people haven't blacked out from them when they're basically the same thing as a can a 4 Loko... So what's the deal with 4 Loko? It's banned cause a bunch of dumb college kids decided to act stupid and ruin it for the rest of us? That's quite ignorant. I don't think they should be banned, I think they should sell them maybe more carefully, but not fully banned from shelves.
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