NEW YORK—Despite being called dangerous by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and being banned in the state of New York, caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) can still be found for sale on websites such as eBay and Craigslist.
New York state Sen. Jeffrey Klein’s office conducted an undercover investigation on Friday, where a volunteer was able to purchase nine cans of Four Loko, one of the popular CAB brands, from an unauthorized dealer on Craigslist.
In a statement, the state senator noted that the Internet is becoming a “way to circumvent the law” in selling these banned drinks, especially to youth.
In a letter to eBay CEO John Donahoe and Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster, Klein called for the removal of all advertisements pertaining to CABs. He made a reference to the numerous classified ads advertising the beverages, noting that their sale is currently illegal in the state of New York.
Most advertisements on eBay and Craigslist included the words “collectable” or “get it before they’re gone.” One can of the product was advertised as costing between $5 and $7, on average.
Klein also announced on Wednesday that thousands of the recently banned beverages, worth approximately $350,000, will be destroyed at a Bronx beer distribution warehouse.
CABs, dubbed by some youth “blackout in a can,” can contain the caffeine equivalent of two or three cups of coffee, as well as an alcohol level of 6–12 percent. The drinks’ packaging resembles that of energy drinks, and critics say the shiny exterior makes it attractive to teens.
The FDA issued warnings to four companies manufacturing CABs on Nov. 17, citing that adding caffeine to an alcoholic beverage is unsafe. According to the agency, the warning was based on the review of multiple studies on the co-consumption of alcohol and caffeine, as well as consultations with toxicology, neuropharmacology, epidemiology, and emergency medicine experts.
“There is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern,” said FDA’s principal deputy commissioner Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein in a statement.
All four companies responded to the FDA’s notice by agreeing to cease production of CABs in question, noting that their products are expected to be off the shelves by Dec. 13.
The New York State Beer Wholesalers Association and the State Liquor Authority (SLA) also agreed to stop selling CABs and alcoholic beverages containing other stimulants in November.
According to Klein’s statement, distributors were given until Dec. 10 to get rid of their entire CAB inventory.
The state senator decided to look into CABs after hearing that three teenagers had to be taken to the emergency room this summer in Westchester after drinking Four Loko.
In a primary investigation conducted on Nov. 9, Klein collaborated with the 45th, 47th, and 49th precincts of the Bronx NYPD. An undercover 18-year-old was able to purchase CABs from a variety of bodegas and convenience stores during the investigation, with 11 out of 28 establishments selling these beverages to the minor.
Prior to the SLA’s ban and FDA’s warnings, Klein had introduced a set of bills to the state Senate, including a ban on CAB sales, an increased criminal penalty for selling these products to minors, as well as requiring warning labels on individual packages.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D.-NY) was likewise behind banning the beverages.
“Let these rulings serve as a warning to anyone who tried to peddle dangerous and toxic brews to our children. Do it and we will shut you down,” said the senator in a statement in November.
According to a statement from Schumer’s office, several states including Michigan, Washington, Oklahoma, and Utah took steps to ban CABs following New York’s ban.
The senator cited a study that underlines the combination of alcohol and caffeine as increasing the potential for suffering injury, impaired driving, and sexual assault.
Colleges and universities also began issuing bans earlier this year after nine students passed out and had to be rushed to the hospital after drinking Four Loko.
In August, Nicole Lynn Celestino, 18, from Long Island, suffered cardiac arrest and died after consuming a CAB in combination with a diet pill.
New York state Sen. Jeffrey Klein’s office conducted an undercover investigation on Friday, where a volunteer was able to purchase nine cans of Four Loko, one of the popular CAB brands, from an unauthorized dealer on Craigslist.
In a statement, the state senator noted that the Internet is becoming a “way to circumvent the law” in selling these banned drinks, especially to youth.
In a letter to eBay CEO John Donahoe and Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster, Klein called for the removal of all advertisements pertaining to CABs. He made a reference to the numerous classified ads advertising the beverages, noting that their sale is currently illegal in the state of New York.
Most advertisements on eBay and Craigslist included the words “collectable” or “get it before they’re gone.” One can of the product was advertised as costing between $5 and $7, on average.
Klein also announced on Wednesday that thousands of the recently banned beverages, worth approximately $350,000, will be destroyed at a Bronx beer distribution warehouse.
CABs, dubbed by some youth “blackout in a can,” can contain the caffeine equivalent of two or three cups of coffee, as well as an alcohol level of 6–12 percent. The drinks’ packaging resembles that of energy drinks, and critics say the shiny exterior makes it attractive to teens.
The FDA issued warnings to four companies manufacturing CABs on Nov. 17, citing that adding caffeine to an alcoholic beverage is unsafe. According to the agency, the warning was based on the review of multiple studies on the co-consumption of alcohol and caffeine, as well as consultations with toxicology, neuropharmacology, epidemiology, and emergency medicine experts.
“There is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern,” said FDA’s principal deputy commissioner Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein in a statement.
All four companies responded to the FDA’s notice by agreeing to cease production of CABs in question, noting that their products are expected to be off the shelves by Dec. 13.
The New York State Beer Wholesalers Association and the State Liquor Authority (SLA) also agreed to stop selling CABs and alcoholic beverages containing other stimulants in November.
According to Klein’s statement, distributors were given until Dec. 10 to get rid of their entire CAB inventory.
The state senator decided to look into CABs after hearing that three teenagers had to be taken to the emergency room this summer in Westchester after drinking Four Loko.
In a primary investigation conducted on Nov. 9, Klein collaborated with the 45th, 47th, and 49th precincts of the Bronx NYPD. An undercover 18-year-old was able to purchase CABs from a variety of bodegas and convenience stores during the investigation, with 11 out of 28 establishments selling these beverages to the minor.
Prior to the SLA’s ban and FDA’s warnings, Klein had introduced a set of bills to the state Senate, including a ban on CAB sales, an increased criminal penalty for selling these products to minors, as well as requiring warning labels on individual packages.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D.-NY) was likewise behind banning the beverages.
“Let these rulings serve as a warning to anyone who tried to peddle dangerous and toxic brews to our children. Do it and we will shut you down,” said the senator in a statement in November.
According to a statement from Schumer’s office, several states including Michigan, Washington, Oklahoma, and Utah took steps to ban CABs following New York’s ban.
The senator cited a study that underlines the combination of alcohol and caffeine as increasing the potential for suffering injury, impaired driving, and sexual assault.
Colleges and universities also began issuing bans earlier this year after nine students passed out and had to be rushed to the hospital after drinking Four Loko.
In August, Nicole Lynn Celestino, 18, from Long Island, suffered cardiac arrest and died after consuming a CAB in combination with a diet pill.
