Students looking to buy Four Loko locally will have to hurry before the stores sell out, because it isn’t coming back to Ohio.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Nov. 17 that it is attempting a nationwide recall of the energy drink after consumers and public health specialists said it was extremely dangerous to one’s health.

The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control also announced on Nov. 17 that it has requested both manufacturers of the alcoholic energy drinks, Four Loko and Joose, to stop the distribution of their products in Ohio.

With no legal authority at this time to ban the drinks, the division reached out to Phusion Projects, the manufacturer of Four Loko, and all other distributors of alcoholic energy drinks to cease any marketing or promotion for their products.

“Our legislation does not allow the state to ban the products at this time,” said Matt Mullons, public information officer for the division. “We assume the manufacturers will agree, and voluntarily stop the selling of the product in Ohio. Once stores are sold out of these drinks, they are no longer allowed to re-stock it in their stores.”

Manufactured by Phusion Projects, the alcoholic energy drink was invented by three Ohio State University graduates, Chris Hunter, Jasien Freeman and Jeff Wright. It has 12 percent alcohol by volume in 23.5 ounces, which is equivalent to about four beers and got its name from its four main ingredients: alcohol, caffeine, taurine and guarana. The product is sold in all 7-Eleven stores across the country and other retail stores. It costs anywhere from $1.99 to $2.50.

Junior Tony Gray agrees with the banning of the alcoholic beverage.

“It’s probably a good thing that it is being banned because I’ve seen what it does to people and it’s not pretty,” Gray said. “People don’t realize when they are drinking it that they’re getting drunk, and then it hits them all at once.”

Gray said he believes the caffeine in the beverage masks the alcohol in the drink, so students do not realize they are becoming fairly intoxicated.

“It seems like this drink offers a really intense intoxication — unlike beer which I feel has a more gradual effect on people,” he said.

Although the beverage is mainly marketed directly towards college students, Gray does not think the manufacturers are at fault.

“Students abuse Four Loko, which is why it is causing so much controversy,” he said. “Even though this specific product is being banned, there’s always going to be something else out there. I’m sure another company will come up with a new product of some sort that will the same effect on people.”

Michigan recently issued a statewide ban on Four Loko and similar products. The ban includes 55 alcoholic energy drink products and required state vendors to pull the drinks from shelves within 30 days.

Although the University has no plans to ban Four Loko on campus, Senior Director of Communications Dave Kielmeyer said such products are a concern.

“It is not sold on campus, but it is an issue that we’ve been watching and have been taking a look at,” Kielmeyer said. “We are concerned about the health risk of drinking a beverage with such high alcohol and caffeine.”

Associate Dean of Students Michael Ginsburg said the University has seen first hand the effects Four Loko has on students.

“Over the course of the semester we’ve had many situations where the consumption of Four Loko has been a problem,” Ginsburg said. “I think the product is designed for over consumption in my opinion.”

Ginsburg is responsible for directing all of the University’s nonacademic student discipline programs, and said Four Loko has been the cause of multiple conduct issues this semester.

“I have met with five students this semester for conduct issues where they have indicated they were under the influence of Four Loko when they engaged in an activity or behavior that significantly inconvenienced the rest of the community because of violence towards others on campus,” he said.