Makers of Four Loko, the alcoholic beverage that sent one member of the Lake Highlands High School junior class to the hospital, have announced plans to remove caffeine from its list of ingredients. The decision was announced last night, in anticipation of a meeting today by the FDA to address recent reports of accidents, suicides and hospitalizations involving young people all over the country.
Just last weekend, cans of Four Loko were found in a wrecked car involved in a fatal Dallas-area crash. Police found Four Loko and a 12-pack of beer in the crashed Chevy Trailblazer after it crashed on I-35. Two 14-year-olds took the family car, picked up a friend and headed for Oklahoma. Arlington teen Valeria Rodriguez died at the scene.
We’ve discussed Four Loko here on the blog and on our weekly podcast, including the fear that LH teens could be attracted by the fruit-flavored alcoholic beverage, now the rage on college campuses. One LHHS junior was hospitalized during Homecoming after sampling Four Loko, which contains high doses of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Health officials say the “pick-me-up” of the sugar and caffeine masks alcohol’s usual warning signs. Parents worry that the brightly-colored cans and energy drink taste appeal to younger students who would pass on beer or hard liquor.
As senior year activities kick off, parents are making plans to keep the kids safe. Parent chaperones at the annual Senior Toga Party December 4th will check bags and purses before allowing students to enter, and they’ll make frequent sweeps of restrooms and parking lots. Students from other schools are not allowed at the party, and students who duck out early should expect their parent to be notified. “We don’t expect any problems, this is a great group of kids,” said one parent, who preferred not to be indentified. “But we will be keeping an eye out, just in case.”
