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Energy Drinks: A Legal High
Poison Control received 4600
caffeine related calls in 2005 with half of them involving youth.1 Energy drinks are not only popular;
they are becoming dangerous and deadly.
Energy drinks took off when
Red Bull was introduced to the United States in 1996. Since then a variety of energy drinks have hit the shelves
at local convenience and grocery stores, bars and nightclubs, all marketed to
youth. The bright colors,
intriguing labels like Rooster Booster and Lost, as well as flashy websites
like www.monsterenergy.com appeal to youth.
A typical energy drink
contains more than one serving.
Most youth do not realize this and inadvertently consume more than the
recommended amount. For example, the large can of Monster contains 32 fluid
ounces, a whopping 4 servings.
Many energy drinks do not indicate
the amount of caffeine per serving.
Currently the FDA regulations do not required the disclosure of the
amount of caffeine in a food or beverage, leaving the consumer in the dark on
caffeine content.
These beverages are
oftentimes marketed as healthy “sports performance drinks.” In small amounts they are okay because
it speeds up your central nervous system, making your reflexes faster.
The trouble beings when
youth “amp out.” They lose focus,
babble and can no longer connect things together. In reality a couple of cans of an energy drink can actually
hinder performance.
Added dangers of energy
drinks include tooth decay, mood swings, hyperacidity, diabetes, weight gain,
abnormal bowel movements and hypertension. These drinks are also eating away at stomach linings. The negative effects are endless.
Not only do energy drinks
cause problems with overdosing on caffeine; some of them also include
alcohol. These alcoholic energy
drinks are marketed to youth through social networking sites such as Facebook
and MySpace and websites such as www.drinkjoose.com.
These websites are flashy
and they glamorize using energy drinks by encouraging users to share their
experiences online. Joose, a
popular alcoholic energy drink, encourages users to share stories and post
pictures of them drinking Joose; the drink even has its own theme song!
When you mix energy drinks
with alcohol it causes a unique reaction.
Because energy drinks are a stimulant, adding them to alcohol gives the
user the perception that they aren’t as drunk as they actually are. Due to this, youth tend to drink more
and can easily overdose.
Energy drinks mask the
symptoms of being drunk, which gives the user the perception that they aren’t
intoxicated. Consequently, youth believe they can safely engage in risky
activities such as drunk driving.
These drinks are becoming
increasingly popular due to the relatively low cost and high alcohol content. On average beer has an alcohol content
of 5%. Some of the popular
alcoholic energy drinks today have up to 11% alcohol content.
Alcoholic energy drinks are
easily disguised as non-alcoholic energy drinks. As one 18 year old put it, “…I had a 6 pack of Sparks in my
room and my mom found it but she had no idea and thought they were just energy
drinks.”
In 2006 about 500+ new
energy drinks launched worldwide.2 We are going to see a continuing trend of products marketed
youth whether they are beverages or something else. The marketing of these drinks is no different than that of
tobacco. Be aware of what you are
putting into your body, and remember moderation is good! If you have questions about energy
drinks contact your local YSB staff.
Authors Amber Marko and Vanessa Schulte are Community
Justice Program Coordinators at the YSB Stillwater and Woodbury Service Centers
respectively.
1”Caffeine Behind 4,600 Calls to Poison Control,” July
10, 2008, Thebostonchannel.com.
2Lord, Joseph.
“Energy drinks’ sales explode despite concerns,” Jan. 5, 2007,
Newsandtribune.com.
Get more information about Caffeine and Alcohol content. Watch "Energy Drinks: The Other 6 Pack" on your local public access station.
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