Feds expected to ban alcoholic energy drinks

NEW YORK — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is poised to declare unsafe a slew of caffeinated alcoholic drinks that are popular among the college set — including Four Loko and Joose — a move that could lead to an outright ban, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday.

That beverage comes in several varieties, including fruit punch and blue raspberry. A 23.5-ounce can sells for about $2.50 and has an alcohol content of 12 percent, comparable to four beers, according to the company's website.

Four states — Washington, Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma — have banned the beverages, and other states are considering similar action. Police in Mesa, Ariz., said an "extremely intoxicated" teenager smashed her SUV into a tree Sunday morning after reportedly playing "beer pong" with Four Loko.

The agency may issue the ruling as soon as Wednesday.

That announcement dovetails with another anticipated action by the Federal Trade Commission to notify dozens of manufacturers of the drinks that they may be illegally marketing dangerous products, Schumer said.

"Let these rulings serve as a warning to anyone who tried to peddle dangerous and toxic brews to our children," Schumer said in a statement. "Do it and we will shut you down. This ruling should be the nail in the coffin of these dangerous and toxic drinks.

"Parents should be able to rest a little easier knowing that soon their children won't have access to this deadly brew," he said.

The products have been linked to incidents at Central Washington University and Ramapo College in New Jersey, where students had to be rushed to emergency rooms after drinking them. Some of the drinks contain up to 12 percent alcohol and high levels of stimulants.

The drinks, sometimes called a "blackout in a can," contain high levels of both alcohol and caffeine, making it difficult for young people to realize how drunk they are, experts say. That puts them at risk for a variety of dangers, including drunken driving, alcohol poisoning and committing or being the victim of sexual assaults, experts say.

Consuming one of the most popular drinks, called Four Loko, is the equivalent of drinking at least several cans of beer and a cup of coffee.

Fourloko manufacturer Phusion Projects said on its website Tuesday that the company will remove caffeine and two other ingredients from its products going forward.

Compiled from The Associated Press, Newsday and The Washington Post.