Four Loko has been on the market since 2005, but recent incidences at Ramapo College in New Jersey and Central Washington University pushed college administrators and legislators alike to look at the substance with more scrutiny than ever before.

Created in 2005 by three Ohio State students, Four Loko combines alcohol with caffeine, taurine and guarana – creating what is now being called "cocaine in a can" due to its dangerous mix of chemicals.

The drink, which contains 12 percent alcohol and comes in eight fruit flavors, escaped investigation for years, until the recent bout of hospitalizations and deaths hit the national media. Deaths, which many claim, are the fault of Four Loko's manufacturer, Phusion Products.

According to Rick Tupper, Augustana's director of Campus Safety and member of the Alcohol Advisory Council, the issue at hand is the conflicting impact that caffeine and alcohol have over the body. Caffeine creates an alertness that initially masks the results of the alcohol consumption.

"I think it is wise for states and the FDA to get involved and regulate these drinks," Tupper said. "The role of the FDA is to ensure items being consumed are safe, and I feel the combination of caffeine and alcohol in this form requires further study before a final conclusion as to what impact they have on the human body."

But others argue that the FDA has no place restricting Four Loko because of the array of similar products on the shelf both in stores and at establishments such as bars and restaurants.

"There is no substantial difference between a Four Loko and a liquor and energy drink shot like a Jäg bomb," said Chad Bitner, a local bartender at Tinner's Bar and Grill. "The problems come with people consuming such big portions in such concentrated sizes."

Bitner argues that when an individual is forced to think consciously about buying each shot, they are more aware of their intake than when purchasing a can of Four Loko – which may be equivalent to four drinks.

"We undergo TAM certification to learn to control our serving," Bitner said. "We base it on how a person looks and acts, so the situation is way more controlled than a person picking up Four Loko from the liquor store and drinking it all at home."

Although not a proponent of banning the drink, senior Elizabeth Reid agrees with Bitner on the issue of regulation.

"I think people definitely need to think in moderation," she said. "Maybe if Four Loko was sold in smaller portions, people would think more clearly about how much they drink."

Dave, an Augustana alumni and bartender at the Crow Bar for more than 13 years, also sees no harm in controlling a substance if it's harmful, but understands the need for personal responsibility.

"Studies show Jäg bombs can cause heart palpitations, but then again, so can coffee," Dave said. "I'd like to think people drink responsibly, but I understand being young and my generation took part in worse, more illegal things, so it's a matter of understanding limits."

According to Dave, state restrictions on bartenders are unlikely because of the amount of control in the situation, but Four Loko undoubtedly will have changes in store for future drinks.

"Some states don't even allow 2fers or happy hour specials because it promotes alcohol," Dave said, "but South Dakota is pretty liberal about those types of things, so I wouldn't expect any changes soon."