Four Loko

I can't drink Monster energy drink now without tasting Jager in them.

 

Drew Carey was wayyyyyyyy ahead of 'em.

 

Banning them would be ridiculous.
This story exists in an information vacuum, and banning a product without any actual evidence that it is harmful is insane.

 

Can't touch Everclear.

 

My point exactly.
To even start, you have to find out the total volume of binge drinking and the rate of ER visits for alcohol poisoning.
What is the rate of ER visits for alcohol poisoning among the subgroup of people who say they have consumed this product?
Is the second rate higher than the first? We don't know because there's no data.

I'll hazard a guess, though. During the time that these two episodes occurred, if you reviewed every case of a person who visited an ER for alcohol poisoning or suspected alcohol poisoning, a higher percentage had consumed beer rather than this product.

 

I was a really heavy drinker in college. I'm a heavy drinker now. I've never tried this Four Loko stuff, by I've bought a 6-pack or 4-pack of Sparks in my day. Two of those don't get me drunk, but man those things make me feel like I just drank 8 Pepsi's or chugged a bottle of Boonesfarm. Just a disgusting feeling. I can't imagine what this Four Loko stuff does.

Years ago, I heard that people were doing the same thing with Red Bull and Vodkas, but personally, I've never experienced that. I don't usually drink them because they are too damn expensive. But when I am playing at the tables in Vegas I go nuts - even so... never ended up in the emergency room. Never heard of anyone else doing the same.

 

Well yeah, because beer is consumed by a much larger population than this stuff.

 

Any of those drinks like Four Loko, Joose or Sparks just leave your stomach with such a full feeling. Can't imagine drinking more than 2.

 

I wish I could describe said feeling. Full of bubbles? A much different feeling than beer bloat. Like I just ate 3 pounds of Sweet Tarts and the acid reflux is taking over my internal organs? That's the best I can do.

 

@mustang: Not a bubbly feeling but just a full feeling. Like your stomach is full but you know it's not. When you wake up the next day, it's still there.

 

Never had Four, I've been afraid to even try it and I do like to try weird, cheap alcohol from time to time (e.g. bum wines like Cisco). I've never had Sparks but I have tried Tilt, which is the cheaper, nuclear green alternative. I've had a few of those and it's like Mountain Dew on steroids. It's 8% and you don't really notice it, you just taste this fake, sugary flavor.

I do think that the mixing of caffeine and alcohol can be a little dangerous. If your body wants to shut down and go to sleep, maybe you should let it.

 

Just drank a Four Loko. Granted, I took my time doing so (and usually do), but one would have to drink a lot of this product very quickly to really have any true detrimental effects. Plus, as has been noted here, one can often get a sugar or caffeine high before that point.

(Also, one has to be either a seasoned drinker or total newbie to be able to consume even one of these quickly.)