The ban, enacted by the Washington State Liquor Control Board, follows bans already imposed in Michigan and Utah. Several other states have moved to restrict sales of the drinks, which include Four Loko, a fruit-flavored malt beverage that has an alcohol content of 12%.
In New York, Senator Charles E Schumer called on the State Liquor Authority to halt sales of caffeinated alcoholic drinks, describing them as ‘a toxic and dangerous brew sickening young people around the country’.
In recent months, a number of cases involving students and others who ended up in hospitals after drinking Four Loko and other beverages that blend caffeine with alcohol have alarmed college and health officials across the United States. The drinks are dangerous, doctors say, because the caffeine masks the effects of the alcohol, keeping those who consume them from realising how intoxicated they are.
Four Loko came under particular scrutiny after students who drank it this fall at Ramapo College in New Jersey and Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, ended up in emergency rooms, some with high levels of alcohol poisoning. Both institutions banned the drink on their campuses, and many others have since warned students not to drink it.
In an open letter to state regulators, Phusion Projects, the five year old Chicago company that makes Four Loko, said it was ‘disappointed’ by calls to ban the drink, adding that it was safe. “We want to open a dialogue to discuss specific concerns and try to reach solutions,” the statement said. “When consumed responsibly, our products are just as safe as any other alcoholic beverage.”
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