Pa. Liquor Control Board Asks For Voluntary Ban On 'Alcohol Energy Drinks'

HARRISBURG (CBS) - The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is asking retailers and wholesalers to at least temporarily stop selling so-called, "alcohol energy drinks," which have sickened people around the country including several dozen in Lancaster County recently.

Liquor Control Board spokeswoman Stacey Witalec says one brand in particular called, "Four Loko," has taken the market by storm. These drinks contain alcohol and high levels of stimulants. Witalec says there is concern with the opposite effects those chemicals have:

"When you put alcohol, which is a depressant, into your system combined with a stimulant from the caffeine or the ginko that a lot of these products contain.  Your body doesn't know how to process that so you don't realize how intoxicated you are until it's too late."

Witalec says because these drinks are classified as malt beverages the LCB cannot ban them. However, at least one state lawmaker is preparing legislation to do that.

For now the LCB is asking retailers to voluntary stop selling them until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can determine if they are safe.

Reported by: Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio