WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce a virtual ban of alcoholic energy drinks on Wednesday even as a leading manufacturer is pulling its products off the market.
     
The FDA is expected to say that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcoholic drinks, a move that would effectively ban them from sale.

 

College students have been hospitalized after drinking the beverages, including the popular Four Loko.  Four states have banned the drinks.

The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control announced on Wednesday  that the manufacturer of Four Loko and the supplier of alcohol energy drink Joose have agreed to stop the distribution of their products in Ohio.   
   
Phusion Projects, which manufactures Four Loko, announced late Tuesday that it would reformulate its drinks, removing caffeine.

While there is little known medical evidence that the drinks are less safe than other alcoholic drinks, public health advocates said they can make people feel more alert and able to handle risky tasks like driving.

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