This is an important message about potentially dangerous alcoholic energy drinks. We share this information with the GW community so each of us can continue to make wiser decisions about alcohol as the health and safety of our community are of paramount importance. We encourage you to avoid or significantly limit the use of these drinks and ask for your help in telling your friends about the associated dangers and by encouraging them to “Be Wiser.” The Be Wiser Campaign encourages the campus community to make positive and healthy decisions related to alcohol and other drugs.

The Food and Drug Administration has recently banned the combination of alcohol and energy drinks, calling caffeine “an unsafe food additive” when mixed with alcohol. This decision comes after a yearlong review, and in light of recent serious incidents and hospitalizations on college campuses involving this type of drink. While there are obviously risks involved with consuming alcohol, there are unique concerns about these drinks and so the creators of these drinks – Four Loko, Joose, Core High Gravity, Moonshot and Max – have been ordered to stop producing these products.

The George Washington University is committed to educating our students, parents, faculty and staff about issues like these, which are negatively impacting the health and safety of our community. We invite students, parents, faculty and staff to visit The Center for Alcohol and other Drug Education or its website to learn more about alcoholic energy drinks, signs of alcohol overdose and how to “Be Wiser.”

Sincerely,
Kevin Hay
Chief, University Police
Tara Pereira
Assistant Dean of Students
Katie Bean
Assistant Director, Center for
Alcohol and other Drug
Education