Nathan, I think your second suggestion underscores the ridiculousness of the ban. They’re not banning alcohol; they’re not banning caffeine; they’re not banning mixing the two in your own home (which helps distinguish Four Loko from meth); they’re not even banning bars from serving Jäger bombs. They’re just banning pre-packaged mixtures of caffeine and alcohol because some college students (who couldn’t buy the stuff legally to begin with) abused this kind of drink.

Also, I’d like to propose solution No. 4: The manufacturers create new products called “One Loko” and “Three Loko.” One is an energy drink, the other a malt liquor. When you mix them, they create (drum roll) Four Loko. The companies involved in this should stop “agreeing” to play along with the government and start standing up for freedom.

David, I won’t get into the weeds of the drug-legalization debate, but I’d like to suggest Jacob Sullum’s Saying Yes. I don’t agree with all of it (it’s a “defense of drug use,” as opposed to merely drug legalization), but he does a great job of laying out the case against prohibition. As an added bonus, the cover makes it a real treat to check out from a library or bookstore.

Also, a few pointers on mixing alcohol and gaming: 1) Don’t play racing games, because alcohol and driving don’t mix, even digitally; 2) if you play shooters, don’t play against human opponents, unless they’re drinking with you; 3) for God’s sake, don’t drink so much that you black out (whether you’re gaming or not). Joose and Four Loko pack a good deal of punch, but for anyone but a lightweight, they’re only “blackout in a can” if you have considerably more than a can and/or drink quickly. You can certainly enjoy them without rendering yourself unable to play video games.