Drink at Your Own Risk

Four Loko, the alcoholic energy drink quickly gaining popularity among college students, is under the national spotlight after last week’s incident at Central Washington University, in which several students were treated for dangerously high blood alcohol levels after consuming the drink. While some concerned lawmakers and school administrators have sought to ban the beverage, we believe that this approach incorrectly places the onus on authority figures to correct student behavior. While there should be increased education to raise awareness of Four Loko’s effects, ultimately students must take responsibility for their own drinking habits.

To this end, schools should ensure that students are prepared for the  drinking cultures prevalent on college campuses. Considering the occurrence at Central Washington University in which all nine hospitalized patients were freshmen, we believe that an emphasis should be placed on educating first-year students about the dangers of excessive drinking. Those just entering the college environment are least prepared for and most susceptible to potentially life-threatening habits. While the burden is on students to drink responsibly, this requires both support from the institutional level as well as conscientiousness among students themselves. Schools can help freshmen acquire this awareness as early as possible.

The Food and Drug Administration must also take initiative. The agency should mandate that all caffeinated alcoholic drinks bear a label explaining the physiological effects of this combination. In the absence of a disclaimer on the can, students can easily drink without understanding the amount of alcohol they are consuming. Four Loko is particularly disarming, as its uncanny resemblance to energy drinks could lead students to underestimate its alcohol content. The truth about these drinks must be made explicitly clear, and thus the FDA should take a role in disseminating this information.

The growing popularity of Four Loko is linked to its attractively low price. With the alcohol content of roughly five beers in each can, it is not surprising that students are drawn to the Four Loko craze, which has swept through college campuses across the nation. We recognize the unique appeal of such cheap modes of intoxication to young adults with limited budgets; for this reason, public awareness and explicit labeling is especially crucial.

When imbibed safely and responsibly, Four Loko is a perfectly reasonable product. So long as students recognize the amount of alcohol and caffeine they are consuming, there appears to be little justification for an outright ban. Four Loko is not solely to blame for the unsafe practices of college students. Instead of targeting the product itself, emphasis should be placed on individuals to remedy their risky drinking habits.