Oct. 31--YORK, Pa -- Police and education officials in York County say they're aware of
the popularity -- and potential danger -- of alcoholic energy drinks that have
become a favorite of young drinkers.
The drinks -- with names like Four Loko, Joose and Tilt -- combine a high
malt liquor content, usually around 12 percent, with a heavy dose of caffeine.
Doctors say the concoction produces a "wide-awake drunk" feeling that can lead
to drinking to excess and drunk driving.
The effects of Four Loko, also known by its nicknames "Liquid Cocaine"
and "Blackout in a Can," have been felt locally.
In August, a former York man, Elroy "Roy" McConnell, and his three sons,
Elroy III, Nathan and kelly, died when their car was struck by a 20-year-old
man who police said had consumed four cans of Four Loko and had smoked
marijuana.
Last month, West York Borough Police spotted 21-year-old Josue Eli Rivera
drinking watermelon-flavored Four Loko on a sidewalk. They later arrested
Rivera when he tried to rob a man at knifepoint, police said.
Dr. Michael Reihart, a doctor at Lancaster General Hospital's emergency
room, said he's treated more than a dozen teens and adults over the past three
months after they had drank Four Loko.
"It's a recipe for disaster because your body's natural defense is to get
sleepy and not want to drink, but in this case you're tricking the body with
the caffeine," he said.
York Hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Wintermyer said Thursday she was not
aware of anyone being treated in the hospital for the effects of drinking
alcoholic energy drinks.
Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Brian Torkar, who conducts DUI checkpoints
in York County, said he and his troopers are aware of the drinks.
"We know it's out there; it's appealing to a young crowd," he said. "It's
in big, giant, multi-colored cans and it's inexpensive. It has a high
concentration of alcohol, it's sweet-tasting, so it has the potential to cause
us a problem ... there's a high possibility of abuse."
On Oct. 9, nine students from Central Washington University were
hospitalized after drinking Four Loko at a party; one was in a coma for a
while. The incident led the university, and also Washington-based grocery and
pharmacy chain Haggen, to ban alcoholic energy drinks.
In addition, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna said he plans
to push for a national restriction on the sale of caffeinated malt liquor.
"They're marketed to kids by using fruit flavors that mask the taste of
alcohol and they have such high levels of stimulants that people have no idea
how inebriated they really are," McKenna said. "They're packaged just like
non-alcoholic drinks, but include a dangerous dose of malt liquor."
Chicago-based Phusion Projects, the company that produces Four Loko, did
not return a request for comment.
Earlier this year, the University of Florida released its findings of a
study of college-aged adults who frequented bars. The study found that patrons
who consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol "had a threefold increased risk
of leaving a bar highly intoxicated and were four times more likely to intend
to drive after drinking than bar patrons who drank alcohol only."
George Geisler, director of law enforcement services for the Pennsylvania
DUI Association, said the potion of alcohol and caffeine can be a great
disrupter to the body's equilibrium.
"Obviously, caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant," he
said. "You're going to have impairment from the alcohol, but then you're also
going to have impairment from the caffeine ... You're really going to be
messing up your body, depending on how much you drink."
Geisler, who trains municipal and state officers in DUI investigation and
drug recognition, said using more than one drug at one time -- poly-drug use
-- is very common in Pennsylvania.
"Sixty percent of the people arrested for impaired driving are poly-drug
users," he said.
In driving, being impaired by a stimulant can give a driver a false sense
of security, and can produce overreaction and exaggerated reflexes. A
depressant can produce a decrease in reaction time to tasks like acceleration
and braking, Geisler said.
At the Quick 6 Beer & Food on West Market Street in West York, several
flavors of Four Loko and Tilt sat in a display case, advertised for $3.99 for
a 24.5-ounce can.
Manager Jenn Emig said the store received its first shipment of the
drinks in August and that since then, it's been selling "very well."
"Mostly, our customers are college kids; younger, definitely. I don't
know if it's the fruity flavors or the alcohol content," she said. "We
wouldn't want anything to happen to anybody, by any means ... Hopefully, the
kids are drinking it responsibly."
Emig said she was aware of the recent headlines concerning the drinks.
"As far as the actual effects, we haven't seen it ... We sell it 'to go'
only, we don't let people drink it in-house," she said. The store's policy is
that nothing over 16 ounces can be consumed on premises, she said.
According to York City Police Lt. Erik Kleynen, the alcoholic energy
drinks are "something that we've seen, but not in the college area. It seems
like a club crowd thing."
Ed Bruder, director of campus safety for York College, said use of the
drinks has not been widespread on the mostly-dry campus. The college has one
set of dorms where students who are 21 and older can drink.
"We've seen it pop up about two or three times, in isolated cases," he
said. "We're certainly aware of it and on the lookout for it."
The New York Times contributed to this story.
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