Banning Four Loko is ignoring the root of the problem
Nobody teaches anyone how to drink responsibily anymore. Alcohol education in public school takes an abstinence-only approach. There’s no talk of how to drink in moderation, how to distinguish high-alcohol from low-alcohol drinks, or how binge drinking is defined. That’s why these kids get sick when they drink Four Loko - they don’t know what 12% ABV means in the context of a 23-ounce can. They don’t know the consequences of mixing alcohol and high amounts of caffeine. Nobody ever told them.
The resounding message of high school health classes is simply “drinking is bad. Don’t do it.” Sound familiar? It didn’t work for sex education, either.
Actually, in high school (and middle school and going into college) these facts are shoved down your throat. We know that caffeine and alcohol are a bad combination. I mean, if you have any common sense whatsoever, this is obvious. There should not be a 23 oz. drink that gets you fucked beyond belief. People aren’t going to buy a Four Loko and drink half the can. College kids (for the most part) know how to drink responsibly. They just aren’t going to. This drink just goes way to far. Banning it will do a lot more good than harm. Don’t make excuses for stupid people.
They sure as hell did not teach us not to combine alcohol and caffeine anywhere I went to school. Which is not to say that I don’t understand that concept, but it’s not fair to assume that everyone got that part as a part of their education. Just because it’s easier to ban things than it is to educate people does not make that an appropriate reaction to some kids being irresponsible.
