I know how much all of you guys love your Four Loko, so every time I see some news about it, I try to keep you in the know!! This time it appears that the manufacturer, in lieu of the ban coming on, has decided to drop the caffeine element from the drink.
Phusion Projects said in a statement posted on its website that the company will remove caffeine and two other ingredients from its products going forward.
The FDA ruling “should be the nail in the coffin of these dangerous and toxic drinks,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who has pushed the Obama administration to ban the beverages, said Tuesday.
Federal regulators would not confirm Schumer’s announcement that a ban was imminent, but Four Loko’s statement suggests the company believed it had little choice but to reformulate its drinks.
The statement by the company’s three co-founders said they were removing caffeine from the drinks after unsuccessfully trying to deal with what they called “a difficult and politically-charged regulatory environment at both the state and federal levels.”
“We have repeatedly contended – and still believe, as do many people throughout the country – that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe,” said Chris Hunter, Jeff Wright and Jaisen Freeman, who identify themselves as Phusion’s three co-founders and current managing partners.
The statement did not mention several recent incidents in which college students were hospitalized after drinking the beverage. In response to such incidents, four states – Washington, Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma – have banned the beverages. Other states are considering similar action.
It’s going to just be a regular ol’ drink without the caffeine, no? What do you guys think? Will you still drink Four Loko without caffeine??
