Alcohol and caffeine, separately, have long been part of the college way of life. But recently, a combination of the two substances, nicknamed "a blackout in a can," demonstrated the dangers of combining the two by packing the punch of four to five beers and the caffeine buzz of a cup of coffee.
The FDA has told manufacturers of products sold under brand names including "Four Loko," "JOOSE," and "808," to change their products or pull them off the shelf. The maker of at least one product, Four Loko, agreed to comply, pulling caffeine from its products after dozens of students ended up hospitalized this year for drinking it and other caffeine-alcohol products.
Nationally, U.S. poison centers have seen more than 60 calls about energy drinks that contain alcohol this year. The American Association of Poison Control Centers has encouraged consumers to avoid these products, as well as "do-it-yourself" caffeine and alcohol cocktails for several reasons:
-Consumers may feel like they can drink more than a safe amount. The caffeine in the drinks can mask the drowsiness and other bad effects of being drunk making it difficult to know how much is too much.
-If more than a safe amount is drunk, people become more at-risk for injury. One study indicates people who drink alcoholic energy drinks are four times more likely to drive drunk.
-Consuming these drinks may lead to binge drinking. The CDC estimates that binge drinking accounts for over half of all alcohol related deaths in the United States.
-Caffeine can be irritating to the stomach and increase the risk of vomiting. Intoxicated people who vomit are at a greater risk for aspirating stomach contents into the lungs, which can be deadly.
Several states have already banned the drinks. College campuses in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Washington have also outlawed them.
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The American Association of Poison Control Centers supports the nation's 60 poison control centers in their efforts to prevent poisoning. Poison centers offer free and confidential services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you believe you've been exposed to a poison or have questions about whether a substance is poisonous, call your local poison control center at 1 (800) 222-1222.
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(c) 2010, American Association of Poison Control Centers
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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