Washington State Officials Want To Ban Four Loko (WATCH)

Turns out "blackout in a can," the nickname for potent alcohol-caffeine drink Four Loko, is an apt moniker.

The drink has been identified as the reason why dozens of Central Washington University students fell ill -- nine were hospitalized -- at an off-campus party earlier this month. Investigators originally thought the students had been drugged.

A CWU student who wished to remain anonymous described the scene of the party to ABC: "These people were fighting for consciousness almost ... their eyes were rolling back in their head."

Central Washington has banned Four Loko, as has Ramapo College in New Jersey. The FDA is investigating the drink.

One can of Four Loko equates to six cans of light beer and two cups of coffee.

WATCH: ABC report on Four Loko's dangers:

Comments

[WVWNEWS]

01:58 AM on 11/05/2010

I am a responsible parent, and I like this stuff on my days off when I don't have to do anything, as my choice of cheap beverage. Why should it be banned because some stupid dozen college students drank till they shit their brains out, or because someone put liquor in it? It says on the can, malt beverage, and lists the caffiene etc. I LIKE IT. Now bug off, you jerks! I shouldn't have to pay 1 cent more than sales tax on any alcoholic beverage, and I should be able to buy it at any hour of the day. I AM SICK of you blue-law blue-blooded carpetbaggers.

[ProxyAriesMan]

12:55 AM on 10/28/2010

As horribly disgusting as this drink sounds..., what would a ban really do? I can easily go out buy hard liquor, red bull, and strawberry flavored corn syrup and mix it all together into a ...vomit-ty cocktail. I don't think a ban will necessarily do too much. Perhaps tax it some more? Probably wouldn't do much but eh...you'd get some revenue!

[WVWNEWS]

01:59 AM on 11/05/2010

Why should it be taxed any more than any other soda? You are a bureaucratic stooge.

[GerryS]

10:12 PM on 10/27/2010

sweet, add a red bull with some COOL garnish, in a martini glass,

and I smell a new bar drink------------

NYC, SF, LA------- who is going to bust a move on this idea first--------

[angrymanspokane]

06:21 PM on 10/27/2010

Alert, jittery drunks - what could possibly go wrong?

[c-tom]

12:18 PM on 10/27/2010

"One can of Four Loko equates to six cans of light beer and two cups of coffee."
How does it 'equate' to dry martinis and classic coke?
Can one say it 'equates' with a glass of wine and a mug of coffee?

[Cynthia Dudley]

05:19 PM on 10/27/2010

I would say that it equates to what I did to myself once- 4 glasses of wine and two espressos. Seriously bad night and I will never mix alcohol and caffeine again.

[WVWNEWS]

02:00 AM on 11/05/2010

Nothing says you have to drink the whole thing at once, duh! You can buy a gallon of wine, and its cheaper that way. Why not a big cheap beer. Why not share it with a friend who has a crappy retail job too?

[xstevejx]

09:29 AM on 10/27/2010

This is similar to the same reason why some bars won't serve Red Bull & vodka. Any time you mix a depressant and a stimulant is questionable, depending on the imbiber and the 'drugs' involved. FYI, some people have had serious heart palpitations after drinking Red Bull & vodka (or other energy drinks and hard liqour), though I'm not sure if anything more serious has happened.

[Voldamane]

07:16 AM on 10/27/2010

The students at Central Washington University recognize the dangers of these drinks. They created a video called Socialize Wise the week after the incident. It can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTzPkplAUKo .

[AngusC]

01:40 AM on 10/27/2010

Good god, how is this drink legal.
I remember when Jolt came around and I was in college and it was banned in my university's town.
We would have to drive 20 miles away just to get it.
That stuff was considered bad, I can't imagine how bad this stuff is...

[eShirl]

07:22 AM on 10/27/2010

Imagine drinking a six-pack with each and every Jolt.

[WVWNEWS]

02:01 AM on 11/05/2010

Its legal because its good and cheap and there's no reason why it should be illegal.

[Karen McCaughan]

11:00 PM on 10/26/2010

Why is this legal?

[Zenergy]

05:17 PM on 10/27/2010

The same reason Everclear is legal. Just because people are irresponsible doesn't mean that it should be banned. It's not even the strongest one on the market - Core has double the alcohol. Anyway, we tried banning alcohol before, and look how that turned out.

Oh, and FTR, Four Loko is absolutely horrible stuff. Foul, noxious, and not fit to drink for anybody besides college students and the homeless. It's a step above drinking hairspray, and not a very big step at that.

[WVWNEWS]

02:02 AM on 11/05/2010

I LIKE IT. You are supposed to drink it cold!

[phishphan]

07:01 PM on 10/26/2010

This stuff is ok but legalizing pot is the devil. This country is backwards.

[BethCarter320]

05:58 PM on 10/26/2010

Colleges in New Jersey have already banned Four Loko. http://www.oppapers.com/blog/four-loko-banned-from-college-campus/