Writing Assignment 1
1) When I was in undergrad, the drink of choice for pre-gaming was the original Four Loko which
was 12% malt liquor mixed with the caffeine of multiple cups of coffee. This combination of
caffeine and alcohol was dangerous as the caffeine masked the effects of alcohol causing an
increased risk of blackouts and alcohol poisoning. The FDA banned the drinks.
Read the following: http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170723105406/https://www.fda.gov/
Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/FoodAdditivesIngredients/ucm233726.htm
Why did the FDA ban these beverages?
The FDA banned caffeinated alcoholic drinks because mixing alcohol with caffeine can be
dangerous. Caffeine can hide the effects of alcohol, making people feel less drunk than they
actually are. This often leads to riskier behavior, like drinking more than they should or putting
themselves in dangerous situations, with a higher chance of alcohol poisoning or other serious
outcomes.
Did the FDA ban coffee flavored liquors with incidental caffeine?
No, the FDA didn’t ban coffee-flavored liquors that naturally contain caffeine from ingredients
like coffee. The ban was aimed specifically at malt beverages where caffeine was added
separately as an ingredient.
Do you agree with the FDAs decision?
The FDA's decision to ban caffeinated alcoholic beverages makes sense from a public health
standpoint. These drinks have been associated with serious risks because caffeine can hide some
of the signs of intoxication, which might lead people to drink more than they realize. Given the
insufficient scientific data proving these products are safe, banning them likely helped prevent
harm.
At a bar, you can still order a red-bull vodka and you can still pre-game with jaeger-bombs, does
this change your opinion?
The FDA banned pre-packaged caffeinated alcoholic beverages and drinks like Red Bull vodka
and Jäger bombs can still be found in bars. These combinations present similar risks, as caffeine
can also mask signs of intoxication. The ban targeted products that were widely marketed, but it
leaves a gap since energy drinks can still be mixed with alcohol in social settings. This could
undermine the goal of reducing risks associated with caffeine and alcohol together. Still, the
dangers posed by mass-marketed options, especially for inexperienced drinkers, make the FDA’s
original decision a necessary precaution.
2) The current DEA statues arrange drugs into schedules 1-5. Re-write your own drug schedule
below. How many classes should there be? Should they still be numbered, or would you prefer a
more fun system?
There should still be five classes, arranged from high risk to low risk, to make them easier to
understand and memorize. In some cases, we can still use numbers for reference. However,
instead of sticking to just numbers, we can create a more fun system, a more relatable and
engaging format by using creative names and definitions that clearly represent each level of
risk and medical use.
