The Michigan Liquor Control Commission adopted a new law requiring retailers and breweries to acquire personal information about the individual purchasing kegs, including the type of driver license, ID number, address of buyer, date of birth and the date of purchase.

The keg tag also must be returned to the location of the purchase. Removal of the tag may result in up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Kevin Unger, owner of Empty Keg Party Store, 112 E. Pickard St., said people are very reluctant to provide information that can be turned in to the police department upon request.

“It definitely has an influence on whether people want to give that information or not,” he said.

Before the law went into effect, Unger said the liquor store sold an average of 10 to 15 half-barrels a week. Since November, four kegs have been sold.

Gary Singh, owner of Liquor 1 Inc, 1707 S. Mission St., said before the law was implemented, he sold about 50 kegs a week. Now, the store averages two sales per week.

The overall sales are not greatly influenced because he said college students who normally purchased kegs are now buying liquor and wine, Singh said.

Unger said the law is infringing on personal information that isn’t necessary.

“I wouldn’t want to provide that kind of information,” he said. “People are buying a keg of beer, not a house mortgage.”

Since the keg tag law went into effect, Unger said keg sales have decreased, but sales on case beer and 30-packs have increased significantly.

“Overall, beer sales have gone up,” he said. “People are buying seven cases of beer instead of a keg. We make more money on a case of beer.”

He said the law impacts everyone, not just college students. Many people seem surprised about the law because the average person doesn’t know, he said.

Sign said the law is good because it makes the stores more responsible.

“The keg law is a good and bad thing,” Singh said. “It’s good because it prevents underage drinking, but it also hurts sales.”

Liability is a big concern for Flint junior Mike West. When his 20-year-old friend asked him to host a party with a keg, he said no because of the risk involved.

“I feel like there’s too great of a chance to get caught distributing to minors,” he said.

The information must be accessible for 30 days after the keg purchase, which West said makes him apprehensive about purchasing a keg.

“There is no way of knowing if people at a party are of drinking age, so it’s risky,” he said.

The law was initially implemented to prevent underage drinking, but Unger said it won’t stop everyone.

“College students are going to find a way to have fun, no matter what,” Unger said. “It’s been an intrusive law.”

The FDA warned four companies that add caffeine to their malt beverages it is unsafe and they may be taken off shelves nationwide, according to a press release.

“FDA does not find support for the claim that the addition of caffeine to these alcoholic beverages is ‘generally recognized as safe,’ which is the legal standard,” said Joshua Sharfstein, Principal Deputy Commissioner in the press release. “To the contrary, there is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern.”

The press release said adding caffeine to the drinks is associated with “risky behaviors that may lead to hazardous and life-threatening situations.”

It said companies have 15 days to create specific steps to stop the violation and prevent it from happening again.

It also noted the recent actions by Four Loko to take caffeine out of the beverage.

“FDA is aware that on November 16, Phusion Projects, LLC, the maker of Four Loko, announced its intention to remove caffeine and other stimulants from its drinks,” the press release said. “FDA views this announcement as a positive step.”

On Nov. 5 the drinks were given 30 days to be taken off shelves in Michigan by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

“We were concerned about the popularity increasing with college kids and the increase of underage drinking through these beverages,” commission spokeswoman Andrea Miller said on Nov. 5. “(The) Michigan Liquor Control Commission had to step in and make some changes.”

Business Boom

A portion of the drinks popularity could be due to their relatively low price.

At $2.29 they’re a bang for their buck when you’re getting 4 to 6 beers and a few cups of coffee out of it, said Katie Howland, manager at the Mission Store, 1022 S. Mission St.

“We sell Four Loko every day because it has always been such a popular beverage,” Howland said. “People have came in every so often to buy a case rather than just an individual one (Four Loko) but when students get back from Thanksgiving break there should be a lot more sold.”

Triple Deuce, 222 S. Washington St., does not carry a substantial amount of Four Loko or any other energy alcoholic drinks, said Manager Ngy Taing. He expects the drinks to be sold out by time the ban starts.

“A salesman tried to convince me to add more Four Loko to my variety of drinks and now I think I made the best choice,” he said.

The drinks, called a “blackout in a can” in a press release from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, will be banned starting Dec. 4.

With a 12 percent alcohol content in 24 ounces, it is equivalent to five or six beers, according to the release.

“We were concerned about the popularity increasing with college kids and the increase of underage drinking through these beverages,” said MLCC spokeswoman Andrea Miller. “(The) Michigan Liquor Control Commission had to step in and make some changes.”

Once the Food and Drug Administration decides its standing on the beverages, Miller said the commission has the power to revisit the option with any new findings and possibly bring the drinks back.

The FDA has no scientific evidence the beverages are safe and the commission is banning all alcohol energy drinks for health protection, Miller said.

“Students all around Central’s campus will be freaking out,” said Lapeer junior Brittany Schaller. “You can drink one Four Loko and feel good for the rest of the night for only a couple of dollars. College students are struggling with money so of course they are going to choose the cheapest beverage with the greatest effect.”

With 55 different varieties of the drinks, the state cannot keep track of all their reported effects, Miller said.

Consumption of the various drinks are the number one substance abuse problem among youth, she said.

Michigan is not the only state prohibiting the beverages. Another 29 states have recently sent letters of concern to the FDA.

Gary Singh, manager at Liquor 1, 1707 S. Mission St., doesn’t agree with the change.

“If they stop the selling of alcoholic energy drinks, then they will eventually have to get rid of drinks like Jager and Red Bull,” Singh said.

Schaller said if the FDA passed any of the drinks, at one point it must have met standards.

“I don’t understand how they could have let it get so out of hand,” she said.

The labeling of these beverages is a concern, Miller said, because they look as if they are an ordinary energy drink or even an Arizona Iced Tea.

“We hope this necessary ban protects the safety, health and welfare of our Michigan residents,” Miller said.

“It’s an open investigation,” said LCC Spokeswoman Andrea Miller.

The investigation stemmed from a Sept. 28 blog post written by Saranac sophomore and Central Michigan University College Republicans member Vanessa Oblinger, which the blog, entitled “A Real Political Party,” said she attended a party hosted by Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Mike Cox, during which the minors at the party were provided alcohol, the blog read.

“Friday night, we were rewarded with open bars and free dinners,” the blog read. “The X’s on the minors’ hands were washed off and the free drinks showered upon us, but this got old fast.”

Cox’s campaign could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Other parties also were hosted by GOP gubernatorial candidates Mike Bouchard and Rick Snyder, Oblinger said.

Oblinger said she originally intended on going to Snyder’s party, but was turned down at the door because she is under 21.

“My intentions were not bad,” Oblinger said. “The blog was a stupid thing that I just wrote for class.”

Oblinger issued an apology letter to the Snyder campaign regarding the leadership conference events, after the Detroit News reported on the story last week.

“It was with great regret when I read the Detroit News story this morning that implied your campaign had anything to do with my blog posting. That couldn’t have been further from the truth,” the statement obtained by Central Michigan Life read.

The e-mail also said Oblinger attended the Bouchard party as well, but she told Central Michigan Life on Tuesday this was never the case because she was off the island before the party took place.

“The only party I recall being at was the Cox one,” she said.

She also said she never wrote the apology letter in the first place, but someone from the Snyder campaign did, which she approved.

“It was prepared by someone else,” she said. “I didn’t really read over it… it was while I was distracted.”

Jake Suski, communications director for the Snyder campaign, denied it.

“No one directly affiliated with our campaign contacted her or asked her to send us an apology,” Suski said. “I can’t speak for her motivation in making that claim.”

Suski said Snyder’s party did not violate any laws.

“This campaign did not provide drinks to any minor,” he said.

Aftermath

Oblinger said she wants to set the record straight about her blog post and, since the aftermath of the issued statement, she feels she is the victim of a political trick.

“I’m kind of turned off to politics at the moment,” she said. “I understand politics… it’s about trying to win.”

Oblinger said she hopes to stay involved with College Republicans in the future.

Coleman freshman and College Republicans Vice Chairman John Porter said it is not an issue for the organization.

“It was not a College Republican event,” he said. “She was not with us that weekend.”

Other campus Republican groups were present from different parts of the state, Oblinger said.