U.S. Regulators Will Ban Four Loko, Other Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement Tuesday that U.S. regulators have decided to ban caffeinated alcoholic beverage such as Four Loko, on the grounds that they are unsafe. Five states have already prohibited sales of such drinks.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will prohibit the sale of drinks such as Four Loko and Joose, whose 24-ounce cans contain as much as three coffee cups worth of caffeine and alcohol equal to as many as three cans of beer, according to Schumer. In October, nine students were hospitalized after drinking Four Loko, Schumer said.

The New York Senator has pushed for the ban amid the growing popularity among college students and young adults of caffeinated cocktails such as Red Bull and alcohol.

"The dangers of these drinks are well known," Schumer said. "A recent study found that young and underage drinkers who combine alcohol with caffeine, which occurs with increasing frequency given the prevalence of beverages like Four Loko and Joose, are more likely to suffer injury, be the victim of sexual assault, drive while intoxicated, and require medical attention than drinkers who consume caffeine-free beverages."