BOSTON—Following a media blow up about Four Loko, states are banning the potent mixture of alcohol and caffeine. On Nov. 18, Massachusetts called for store owners to immediately take Four Loko off their shelves, stating, “Alcoholic beverages that contain caffeine as an added ingredient, including Four Loko, must be removed from store shelves in Massachusetts today.”
The ruling came after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation concluded that drinks containing caffeine and alcohol pose a serious risk to public safety. Following the findings, the FDA sent letters to four manufacturers of such drinks, warning them that their drinks endanger the public.
“[The] FDA does not find support for the claim that the addition of caffeine to these alcoholic beverages is ‘generally recognized as safe,’ which is the legal standard,” stated Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner in an FDA news release. “To the contrary, there is evidence that the combination of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern.”
Just a day prior to the release of the FDA’s finding on the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, Four Loko’s manufacturer, Phusion Projects LLC said that it is eliminating three of its four characteristic ingredients, caffeine, guarana, and taurine.
Massachusetts joins four states that have already banned the drink, Michigan, Utah, Oklahoma, and Washington. Phusion Projects has also agreed with New York State Liquor Authority to stop distributing its caffeinated products in New York.
Phusion Projects made the move in an effort to restore its badly injured image after the blast of negative press it received due to incidents on or near college campuses around the country.
“We were the first company to take this proactive, voluntary step. And we think it shows that we are not turning a deaf ear to what’s going on: that a select few have chosen to abuse our products, drink them while underage, or break the law and sell them to minors,” said Phusion cofounder and managing partner Jaisen Freeman in a press release.
The company is one of four to receive a warning letter from the FDA, notifying them that they have 15 days to either modify their drinks’ ingredients or the drinks will be taken off the shelves.
The ruling came after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation concluded that drinks containing caffeine and alcohol pose a serious risk to public safety. Following the findings, the FDA sent letters to four manufacturers of such drinks, warning them that their drinks endanger the public.
“[The] FDA does not find support for the claim that the addition of caffeine to these alcoholic beverages is ‘generally recognized as safe,’ which is the legal standard,” stated Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner in an FDA news release. “To the contrary, there is evidence that the combination of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern.”
Just a day prior to the release of the FDA’s finding on the safety of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, Four Loko’s manufacturer, Phusion Projects LLC said that it is eliminating three of its four characteristic ingredients, caffeine, guarana, and taurine.
Massachusetts joins four states that have already banned the drink, Michigan, Utah, Oklahoma, and Washington. Phusion Projects has also agreed with New York State Liquor Authority to stop distributing its caffeinated products in New York.
Phusion Projects made the move in an effort to restore its badly injured image after the blast of negative press it received due to incidents on or near college campuses around the country.
“We were the first company to take this proactive, voluntary step. And we think it shows that we are not turning a deaf ear to what’s going on: that a select few have chosen to abuse our products, drink them while underage, or break the law and sell them to minors,” said Phusion cofounder and managing partner Jaisen Freeman in a press release.
The company is one of four to receive a warning letter from the FDA, notifying them that they have 15 days to either modify their drinks’ ingredients or the drinks will be taken off the shelves.
