Michigan Bans Four Loko Across State

Michigan has banned Four Loko and other caffeinated alcoholic beverages statewide, the Chicago Tribune reports. It's apparently the first state to do so, but politicians and school officials across the country are also taking aim: City councilmen in Chicago proposed a ban this week, Pennsylvania's liquor commission has asked retailers to pull the drinks voluntarily, and the University of Rhode Island became the latest campus to ban the drinks, notes NPR.

The moves come after several cases of college students suffering alcohol poisoning. Four Loko defends its drinks by noting that "people have safely combined caffeine and alcohol for years," singling out Red Bull as an example. And in the vein of any publicity is good publicity, the Kansas State Collegian notes that sales are on the rise. "Some customers have seen the drink on the news and want to try it," says a local liquor store employee. (More Four Loko stories.)