FDA Likely To Ban Popular 'Four Loko' Drink

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A popular energy drink mixed with alcohol could be pulled from store shelves. The FDA is expected to ban the drink Four Loko and it might have good reason.

Four Loko is the store brand name, but on the street, it's called liquid cocaine or "blackout in a can." And for good reason -- it's a mixture of alcohol and caffeine.

"It's kind of a guaranteed crazy night," said Niki Norman, a student at the University of Minnesota.

But it's also dangerous.

"Twenty-four ounces of caffeinated, highly alcoholic beverage in a single serving that people can wrap their hands on and go, that's the problem," said Gary Gardner, a beverage operator.

There's 12 percent alcohol in each can and it really can make you do crazy things.

"A couple of weeks ago, I got a text from a friend and it just said, 'I tried Loko last night -- bad decision, I woke up in a backyard with some sort of animal.' Turns out, he was sleeping with a dog or something. That was completely ridiculous," said Griffin Fillipitch, a student at the U.

But you can get more than a buzz from the drink. Oklahoma, Utah, Michigan and Washington State banned Four Loko after college students got sick or died after drinking it.

"Before they know it, they've consumed six beers, which they're not accustomed to and the caffeine starts to wear off and they are intoxicated," said one doctor.

Some people say they would rather not drink up.

"I'm afraid they're going to give me a heart attack. There seems to be too much caffiene, I don't know … I think lots of people drink them, but I'm good with my coffee," said U of M student Brooke Taylor.

The FDA looked at scientific research to determine whether adding caffeine to alcoholic beverages is safe.

It won't make an official ruling on a ban of the drink until Wednesday.

Sonya Goins, Producer
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