News

‘Blackout in a Can’ creates controversy

Emily Philipp
Entertainment/Feature Editor

Across the United States alcoholic energy beveragedrinks have filled shelves and become a point of controversy for some colleges students and law makers.

But the taste, price, colorful packaging and caffeine content of these alcoholic drinks that were previously taken from the shelves, was enough to make many students jump at the chance to get their hands on these products.

Known as “blackout in a can” beverages like Four Loko became an issue on campuses across the country.

But after nine college students from Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. were hospitalized for ingesting toxic amounts of Four Loko, it was banned in countless colleges and in states such as Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington while many other states considered the same step.

According to Iowa State Senator Amanda Ragan, there is currently a bill under consideration in Iowa that would address the issue.

The creators of Four Loko have recently taken the caffeine and other stimulants from the drink due to pressure from the FDA.

“But probably limiting the amount of alcohol in these beverages will be a more likely response to this issue,” Ragan said.

The blood-alcohol levels of the students at Ramapo College ranged from 0.12 to 0.35 percent. A blood-alcohol level of 0.30 percent is considered potentially lethal.

“We should not sell them...I am very concerned about them when it comes to college students,” Theresa, a local area Casey’s manager, said about the original version of the drink.

“When they first came out I did not want to sell them, and I was thankful the day they were taken out of the store,” she said.

The 23.5oz cans of Four Loko use to contain the amount of alcohol one would find in three cans of beer mixed with the caffeine of three cups of coffee. It was the same thing as downing two-thirds of a bottle of wine plus a Red Bull or two.

These energy drinks with high-alcohol levels were popular among the college students who adhered to the myth that one could get drunk and still party all night long.

The problem was that the caffeine masked the effects of the alcohol and tricked the person into thinking he or she could keep drinking way past the point of being drunk.

“I am concerned with these energy drinks because as I understand it, the caffeine in the drinks masks the feeling of intoxication so it would be easier to get drunk, drink and drive, use poor judgment and maybe even suffer alcohol poisoning,” Captain Brad Gibson of the Charles City police, said about the original version of the drink. “All this would make the (original version of the) energy drinks worse than straight alcohol.”

The caffeine and other stimulants that use to be in the drink tricked the brain into thinking it was not drunk, but once the caffeine wore off, a blackout immediately followed.

Many who had tried Four Loko before the removal of the caffeine claimed to have blacked out or forgotten what they did after just one or two drinks.

“My opinion on the energy drinks is that it is a way for a company to make a buck on a product which has no redeeming value in society,” Gibson said about the original version.

Another thing that created a stir for students was the $2.59 price tag. One can meant one could get drunk quickly and cheaply and for college students where money was and still is a big issue.

Four Loko, among many other alcoholic drinks “present a threat to public health and safety,” according to the FDA’s early reaction to these drinks.

While it has not been proven to be any less safe than other alcoholic drinks, another problem is that these drinks were marketed and appeal to those under age.

“We have not seen any of those drinks yet at the party calls we go on,” Lt. Brandon Franke, of the Charles City Police Department, said. “It seems these days the drink of choice is vodka or Everclear, even more than beer.”

Phusion Products, the company behind Four Loko states, “We have repeatedly contended and still believe...that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe.”

But they stand by their promise to “reformulate” their products.

The Iowa bill put forth by Senator Schoenjahn, if passed, would prohibit the “manufacturing for sale, sale, offering or keeping for sale, importing, distributing, transporting, or prossessing of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage.”

They consider anything that contains one half of 1 percent of alcohol to be a caffeinated alcoholic beverage.

If convicted one could spend up to 30 days in jail or pay a fine anywhere in the range of $65 to $625, or both. And anyone caught selling would immediatly lose their permit or liscense to sell.

The bill, as of now, is in subcommittee and an amendment that will limit the scope allowing less dangerous products to be sold is pending committee passage at press time.