By Cheyne Ordonio | Editor-in-Chief
The latter half of 2010 was filled with headlines about Four Loko, its popularity among college students, its link to hospitalized youths and deaths, and the six States that have banned its sale and distribution. Among those states is Massachusetts which banned Four Loko on November 18 after the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission passed an emergency regulation banning the sale of alcoholic beverages crossed with energy drinks. But students at MWCC seem to think, as Business Major Jake Hamm said, “It’s a lot to do about nothing.”
“I don’t really think it’s been a big thing around here,” Hamm said after stating that he’s never had Four Loko, or even knows anyone who has. Jim Kraskouskas, President of Anthony’s Liquor Mart in Gardner, might be inclined to agree. “It wasn’t as popular as people think it was,” said Kraskouskas, “[selling] 40 cans a week would be a lot.”
As far as the effects of Four Loko are concerned, the greatest effect was aversion to drinking it again. Liberal Arts and Sciences Major Andrew White, who’s never had the drink but knows people who have, said, “Every time someone told me what they thought of it, they thought it was disgusting.” Computer Graphic Design Major Dean-James Richard has tried a similar drink called Sparks and said, “It tasted nasty, like old moldy bread.” The only difference Richard felt between Sparks and other alcoholic drinks was that, “I had more energy.”
Hamm, White, and Richard all felt that the ban on Four Loko and similar drinks was unnecessary. “It depends on what you do,” Said Richard. “If you have too much you’re going to get sick.” But Kraskouskas said, “I do think it was necessary.” The can size of Four Loko (32.5 oz.), he argued, encourages people to drink a larger quantity. He also feels that the various government and state agencies that licensed and approved Four Loko as a safe drink dropped the ball.
Kraskouskas said the State should ban more than just Four Loko in order to combat the problem of binge drinking, a common factor in many of the Four Loko related incidences in the headlines. He believes quarter kegs and barrels should also be banned because they contain large quantities of alcohol that were meant to be distributed in bars, not sold in liquor stores. But to effectively combat binge drinking, said Kraskouskas, “The key is parent-child communication.”
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