According to a report on PennLive.com, some people are not happy to see the return of Four Loko, even though it has been reformulated, and some businesses are still refusing to sell it.
Vendors who are willing to sell the revamped Four Loko say it is not generating much high-octane buzz.
“I personally haven’t sold any,” said Charlie Swank, a cashier at Silver Spring Beverage in Silver Spring Township. He’s not surprised, given the reformulated recipe, which also no longer contains caffeine, taurine or guarana. “It’s not taboo anymore, you know?” Swank said.
The fruit-flavoured high-alcohol and -caffeine drink, dubbed by some observers last year as ‘a blackout in a can’ was linked to a string of incidents across the United States in which people were hospitalised or died. The drinks were banned in some states.
Phusion Projects, the maker of Four Loko, removed the caffeine from the beverages last year after bowing to intense pressure from the Food and Drug Administration and colleges and other institutions. The FDA has warned companies that caffeine added to malt beverages is an unsafe food additive.
The reformulated Four Loko contains 12% alcohol – the equivalent of five beers. That’s high enough for some colleges such as Lebanon Valley College in Annville to extend a ban it enacted last autumn on the beverage.
“It still contains an exorbitant amount of alcohol at an inexpensive price. It’s clearly intended to serve one purpose,” said Thomas Hanrahan, college spokesman.
Harrisburg nightclub owner Ron Kamionka said he refuses to sell the reformulated Four Loko. “It’s just too much of a risk with that stuff. With regular beer or liquor you know how it’s going to affect people. With that stuff it’s just a big question mark,” he said.
Plus, Kamionka agreed it’s not a profitable business move to sell the high-alcohol drink, because some customers can buy one and they’re done. Bar owners can make a larger profit on regular beer and cocktail orders.
Source: PennLive.com
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