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Phusion has responded to these events by posting responsible drinking tips to their website. In addition to providing tips to their consumers, it also provides information to retailers outlining the safe distribution of their product.<ref name="Phusion">http://www.phusionprojects.com/responsibility.html</ref>
Phusion has responded to these events by posting responsible drinking tips to their website. In addition to providing tips to their consumers, it also provides information to retailers outlining the safe distribution of their product.<ref name="Phusion">http://www.phusionprojects.com/responsibility.html</ref>

On November 18th, the FDA issued a ruling stating that high-alcohol, caffeinated beverages present a public health risk. Four Loko was specifically singled out; it and its competitor Joose have responded by stating that they plan to remove the caffeine content, while also suggesting that the FDA has erred in its judgment.


==Dangers==
==Dangers==

Revision as of 23:56, 17 November 2010

Four
TypeMalt liquor/Energy drink
ManufacturerPhusion Projects LLC,
Chicago, Illinois
Country of origin USA
Introduced2005
Proof (US)12, 20, or 24
FlavorGrape, Fruit Punch, Orange Blend, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Lemon Lime, Lemonade, Cranberry Lemonade
VariantsFour Loko, Four MaXed
Related productsJoose, Sparks, Tilt
Websitehttp://www.drinkfour.com , http://www.drinkfour.eu

Four is a caffeinated, alcoholic energy drink that has malt liquor as its base. It is produced by Phusion Projects LLC of Chicago, Illinois. This company also does business under the name Drink Four Brewing Company.[1] The drink was developed by three alumni of The Ohio State University: Chris Hunter, Jeff Wright, and Jaisen Freeman.[2]

The Four brand includes two varieties:

  • Four MaXed — contains 10% ABV and is sold in 16–ounce cans
  • Four Loko — contains either 6% or 12% ABV (depending on state regulations)

Four debuted in the United States market in 2005.[2] It is now sold in 46 states and in Europe.

Four energy drinks have been the object of legal, ethical, and health concerns related to their being marketed to college students.[1] On November 17, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared that beverages such as Four energy drinks that combine caffeine with alcohol are a "public health concern" and can't stay on the market in their current form.[3][4] As a result, Phusion Projects has announced that it will remove caffeine, guarana, and taurine from its products.[5]

Product line

Four Loko cranberry lemonade, 23.5–oz.

Four energy drink is available in eight flavors: Grape, Fruit Punch, Orange Blend, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Lemon Lime, Lemonade, and Cranberry Lemonade. The name "Four" is derived from its four main ingredients: alcohol, caffeine, taurine, and guarana. It also contains carbonated water, sugar, and natural and artificial flavoring.

In 2008, Phusion Projects began selling their products in Europe. The European version of Four MaXed is sold in 8.3–oz. (250mL) glass bottles and is spirit-based; the United States version has a malt liquor base.

In 2009, Four Loko ranked fourth in sales growth among alcoholic beverages at 7-Eleven stores in the United States.

Controversy

Several years ago, several US state attorneys general began active investigations of companies which produced and sold caffeinated alcohol beverages, on the grounds that they might be engaging in misleading marketing.[6] The attorneys general were also concerned that these drinks could pose health risks by masking feelings of intoxication.[7] Consequently, in December 2008, Anheuser-Busch, manufacturer of Tilt and Bud Extra, plus MillerCoors, manufacturer of Sparks agreed to reformulate their drinks.[1]

In 2009, smaller companies, such as Phusion fell under investigation because of their rise in market share.[1] On November 13, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration warned Phusion and over two dozen other brewers and distillers whose drinks contained the “intentional addition of caffeine” that it was looking into the safety and legality of their beverages,[8] These companies may be forced to discontinue products such as Four, unless they can prove that the addition of caffeine to alcohol is “generally recognized as safe.”[4]

The drink has come under major fire as colleges and universities across the nation have begun to see injuries and blackouts due to the drink's use. The University of Rhode Island banned this product from their campus on November 5, 2010.[9] The state of Washington banned Four Loko after nine university students aged 17 to 19 from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA became ill at a house party in Roslyn, WA. The university students were hospitalized and one university student, with a blood alcohol level of .35, almost died.

Phusion has responded to these events by posting responsible drinking tips to their website. In addition to providing tips to their consumers, it also provides information to retailers outlining the safe distribution of their product.[10]

On November 18th, the FDA issued a ruling stating that high-alcohol, caffeinated beverages present a public health risk. Four Loko was specifically singled out; it and its competitor Joose have responded by stating that they plan to remove the caffeine content, while also suggesting that the FDA has erred in its judgment.

Dangers

See also: Caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks

Four Loko's potential danger comes from mixing caffeine and alcohol. When alcohol and caffeine are combined people report feeling reduced sensations typically associated with alcohol believed to result from caffeine counteracting the depressive effects thus keeping the individual more alert.[11] However, when the caffeine wears off the person feels the full effects of the alcohol. This can lead to excess consumption of alcohol because the delayed feeling of drunkenness leads an individual to seek additional alcohol to obtain the same sensations as those found in previous encounters.[12]

A study done at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, found that students who mixed caffeine and alcohol thought they were capable of driving more often than those who drank non-caffeinated alcoholic drinks.[13]

Reactions

In October 2010, following the hospitalization of seventeen students and six visitors, Ramapo College of New Jersey banned the possession and consumption of Four Loko on its campus.[14] As a result, Worcester State University stopped the sale of all energy drinks and it as well as Boston College have informed their students of the risks involved in consuming Four beverages.

In November, other colleges joined in the effort to inform their students about Four energy drinks. Salve Regina University, Northeastern University, University of Maryland,Fitchburg State University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Southern Connecticut State University, Sacred Heart University, University of Central Oklahoma, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Ramapo College,California University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne University, Bryant University, Boston University, Bentley University, Salem State University, Villanova University, Brandeis University and SUNY Cortland have all sent out notices informing their students to avoid the drink.[15][16] University of Rhode Island, Mount St. Mary's University, Temple University, Niagara University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology have placed outright bans on the consumption of the drink on their campuses.[9] Other efforts to control the statewide use of Four have been under way. The Daily Collegian, Penn State's student newspaper reported that on November 1 the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board sent letters to all liquor stores urging distributors to discontinue the sale of the drink. The PLCB also sent letters to all Colleges and Universities warning them of the dangers of the drink.[17] While the board has stopped short of a ban, it has asked retailers to stop selling the drink until FDA findings prove they are safe. Pennsylvania State Representative Vanessa Lowery Brown, however, seeks to introduce legislation to ban alcoholic energy drinks in the state.[18]

Several stores, including Tops Markets, Price Chopper and Wegmans have voluntarily pulled the product from their shelves.[19][20] Shortly after these stores did so, Governor of New York David Paterson announced that Phusion was withdrawing the beverage from the state of New York as of November 19, 2010.[21]

Utah, which has a state-run alcoholic beverage distribution system, never allowed alcoholic energy drinks to go on sale there.[22] Michigan and Oklahoma have voted to ban the sale of alcohol energy drinks over health and safety concerns.[23][24] Additionally, the Washington State Liquor Control Board voted to ban the sale of alcoholic energy drinks, which will go into effect on November 18, 2010. The vote came as a result of the incident at Central Washington University.[25] The New York State Liquor Authority has also banned their sale and distribution as of November 19, 2010. A grassroots campaign, Ban Four Loko, has also been launched against the drink.[26] The group is citing the dangerous mix of alcohol and caffeine as the main reason to ban Four Loko. New York state senator Chuck Schumer and New York City councilman James Sanders Jr. went straight to the Obama administration to ban Four Loko across the state of New York. Sanders Jr. expressed that “We are going to go crazy to protect our children from going crazy over Four Loko.” The drink is expected to be pulled off shelves in New York state by mid-November 2010.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hughlett, Mike (August 24, 2009). "Caffeinated alcoholic drinks stir up legal concerns". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  2. ^ a b Schelle, Charles (April 14, 2006). "Horny, hyper and happy". The Ball State Daily News. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  3. ^ FDA calls 7 caffeine-alcohol drinks unsafe, CNN, November 17, 2010
  4. ^ a b Beato, Greg. "Too Much Fun". Reason (April 2010).
  5. ^ FDA Set to Move on Caffeine in Alcoholic Drinks, The Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2010
  6. ^ Bryant, Steve (August 24, 2009). "Chi-based Malt Liquor Energy Drink Maker Investigated". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  7. ^ Kesmodel, David (July 17, 2009). "Drinks With a Jolt Draw New Scrutiny". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  8. ^ Hitti, Miranda (November 13, 2009). "FDA Eyes Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks". WebMD Health News. WebMD. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  9. ^ a b http://media.www.ramcigar.com/media/storage/paper366/news/2010/11/05/News/Four-Loko.Drink.Banned.In.Student.Handbook-3955037.shtml?reffeature=htmlemailedition
  10. ^ http://www.phusionprojects.com/responsibility.html
  11. ^ Goodnough, Abby (27 October 2010). "Caffeine and Alcohol Drink Is Potent Mix for Young". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  12. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/10/19/2010-10-19_four_loko_an_alcoholic_energy_drink_is_banned_at_a_new_jersey_college.html
  13. ^ http://www.marininstitute.org/site/images/stories/pdfs/energydrinks_and_intoxication.pdf
  14. ^ Economopoulos, Sofia. "New Jersey school forbids Four Loko". The Cavalier Daily. {{cite web}}: Text "accessdatpoop6 October 2010" ignored (help)
  15. ^ University, Northeastern. "Updated: Friday, October 29th, 2010 To All Northeastern Students-".
  16. ^ Ostrowsky, Jon (November 9, 2010). "Drug, alcohol committee formed following Pachanga events".
  17. ^ Geiger, Zach (November 9, 2010). "PLCB urges caution with Four Loko".
  18. ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10311/1101071-435.stm
  19. ^ Ross, Shannon (2010-11-10). "Local stores pull Four Loko off shelves". WIVB-TV. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  20. ^ McGrath, Chris (2010-11-10). "Wegmans pulls Four Loko from store shelves". cnycentral.com. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  21. ^ Redwine, Tina (2010-11-14). Alcoholic Energy Drinks To Be Phased Out Of New York. NY1. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  22. ^ Evensen, Jay (October 27, 2010). "Utah a step ahead on Four Loko".
  23. ^ http://www.annarbor.com/news/alcoholic-energy-drinks-the/
  24. ^ Colberg, Sonya (November 9, 2010). "Oklahoma panel bans deliveries of Four Loko after Dec. 3".
  25. ^ Yuan, Teresa (2010-11-10). "State liquor board bans alcoholic energy drinks". king5.com. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  26. ^ "The Campaign to Ban Four Loko".
  27. ^ http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/11/16/schumer-feds-may-move-to-ban-alcoholic-energy-drinks/

External links

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