While caffeinated beverages like coffee used to follow drinking binges as a way to sober up, they are now being combined with energy drinks to produce a dangerous product. The various brands of canned caffeinated alcoholic drinks that have made their way to market include: Joose, Max, Four Loko, Core and Moonshot. These beverages indicate a disturbing trend of mixing two powerful substances into one drink. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned the current formulations of these specific brands, which points to safety concerns of caffeinated alcoholic beverages.
Bad Mix
According to one professor of pharmacy in Florida, drinks containing both caffeine and alcohol skip over the side effects of binge drinking. This causes drinkers to consume more alcohol. Various articles on these beverages cite studies that minors who down caffeinated alcoholic drinks are more prone to injuring themselves, sexual assault and drinking and driving than those drinking purely alcoholic beverages. Some brands may include the equivalent of the caffeine in three cups of coffee and the alcohol of three glasses of beer in a single 23.5-ounce can.
Linked Tragedies
Recently, a rash of news reports pointed to one drink, Four Loko, as the cause of violent illnesses for groups of students at Central Washington University, Ramapo College in New Jersey and St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. Some students were even hospitalized for alcohol poisoning. In November, Four Loko was also blamed for Maryland student Courtney Spurry's death. She drank two cans of the beverage and drove her car into a telephone pole, causing fatal injuries. Witnesses said she blacked out shortly after drinking Four Loko.
FDA Ban
The FDA issued a ban on selling caffeinated alcoholic beverages to the makers of popular brands in November. The four companies who received warning letters from the FDA were Charge Beverages, New Century Brewing, Phusion Projects and United Brands Company. According to the FDA, recent findings show that, "caffeine added to their malt alcoholic beverages is an unsafe food additive." The FDA also said that caffeine masks the effects of intoxication in these dangerous drinks.
Safety Issues
Phusion and United Brands announced the removal of caffeine from their Four Loko and Joose formulations. Other companies may do the same to avoid a total halt on production. Similar products still remain available on store shelves. Those who consume these beverages, commonly called "blackout in a can," and then choose to drive, risk passing out and causing motor vehicle accidents.
If you were involved in a car accident involving the use of caffeinated alcoholic drinks, contact a local personal injury today to discuss your legal rights and options for compensation.
