energy drinks? yeah or nay?

[skategeezer]

So, what do you think?

A lot of energy drink companies sponsor skate events - is it time to question them?
Officials Want School Ban On Energy Drinks

HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. (AP) ― They can be popular because they're sweet, they give you a lift and they have hip-sounding names like Red Bull and Spike Shooter.

But school officials across the country aren't as buzzed about caffeinated energy drinks as some of their students. They're worried about young people gulping down too much caffeine—and getting so hyper that they lose focus on their studies.

"Being hepped up on caffeine can be a distraction to your learning," said Joe Trybulski, principal of Hillsborough Middle School in central New Jersey.

The Hillsborough school, with more than 1,200 seventh and eighth graders, is among a growing number across the country that have banned or are considering banning energy drinks from their campuses.

Trybulski has found parents supportive of the ban since it went into effect in April, and teachers haven't had to take energy drinks away from any students.

"They get enough junk all over the place so I support it," Pam Christian said as she picked up her 13-year-old son, Sam, on one of the last days of school in June.

Sam Christian said a lot of students like energy drinks. "But it may just hurt us instead, because of all the caffeine," he said.

Energy drink industry representatives said they don't market directly to children, that the cost of around $2 to $4 a can is geared toward adults, and that the drinks generally have less caffeine than coffee.

"Are you going to start carding kids at coffee houses and candy shops?" said Craig Stevens, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based American Beverage Association, which has energy drink companies among its members.

Patrice Radden, a spokeswoman at Red Bull's U.S. offices in Santa Monica, Calif., said the company's product is safe. "We can't imagine why a school would feel the need to impose such a ban," Radden said.

An 8.3 ounce can of Red Bull has 76 milligrams of caffeine, about twice as much as the 35 milligrams in 12 ounces of Coca-Cola but less than the 95 milligrams typically found in 8 ounces of brewed coffee, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site.

Dietitians say there isn't any proof that energy drinks harm children, but that young people feel the effects of caffeine more than adults—and that they can get into a harmful cycle with energy drinks.

"They have trouble sleeping. They wake up unable to concentrate. They give themselves more of a buzz with these energy drinks. And then they have more anxiety," said Dawn Jackson Blatner, a dietitian in Chicago.

Marilyn Tanner-Blasiar, a pediatric dietitian in St. Louis, said too much caffeine can cause insomnia, or even accelerated heart rates.

"It's those stimulant properties that we have to be nervous about," Tanner-Blasiar said.

In February 2007, students began reporting health problems at Doherty High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., after the convenience store across the street started promoting an energy drink called Spike Shooter, said Jill Martin, who was the school's principal until recently.

Half a dozen students complained to the school nurse about accelerated heart rates and two had to go to the emergency room, Martin said. The school of more than 2,000 ended up banning the Spike Shooter drinks from its campus, and got the convenience store to stop promoting it.

"The kids were really struggling when handling it properly. It is obviously very strong stuff," Martin said.

Colorado-based Spike LLC said the company's product is meant for adults, not children.

Worries about health problems have caused other schools to ban energy drinks. In Coldwater, Mich., the school board recently approved a ban for the roughly 800 sixth- through eighth-graders at Legg Middle School.

"Some teachers were seeing kids either being really nervous or jumpy or some later in the day—they called it a caffeine crash—didn't have a lot of energy," said Gary Dancer, a seventh-grade teacher.

Some schools have stopped short of a ban, such as Manville High School in New Jersey, where principal Mary McLoughlin sent a warning letter to parents in March after the school nurse said students were complaining about being dizzy and hyper and unable to focus. Students told the nurse they were skipping breakfast and having energy drinks before school, McLoughlin said.

Last fall, the Lake Washington School District outside of Seattle asked the booster clubs running concessions at junior high and high school sports games to stop selling energy drinks.

Nancy Lytle, a dietitian who advises the district of 24,000 students, said officials noticed that students were getting into fights in the stands. After the energy drinks were gone, there was a noticeable change, Lytle said.

"They weren't huddling around the concession stand," Lytle said of the students. "They were up in the stands watching the football game."

[EFG]

I voted yes, but like everything they need to be "used" in moderation. Personally I would have slept through all my morning classes this past year if it wasn't for all the Amp I drank...

[bucksaw87]

funny you mention this...about halfway through the last semester of my senior year, the michigan legislature passed a ban on energy drinks in schools. my school had a TON of energy drinks already in the vending machines, so we were set for pretty much the rest of the year, but everybody was pissed. personally, i never found them to be a detriment to learning...they kept me awake for the most part, so i could be more attentive; as opposed to fighting sleep in class. but, certain kids became "users" to the point where those huge double-size 18 oz cans of monster wouldn't affect them...meaning, they'd still be groggy and stuff. idk, all things in moderation i guess...it would be neat if the schools could put a one can per day limit on them or something.

[RothToAnExtent]

Hmm? Can't concentrate? Damn.

Evidence instead of assumption

[SK1ER]

For me it's either drink a RedBull or sleep through 8am class.

[Bigg Oskee]

i drink them because they taste good its really just soda to me i never get awaken by these things but GO NOS and ROCKSTAR woo wooo

[apv211]

"They get enough junk all over the place so I support it," Pam Christian said as she picked up her 13-year-old son

What is she doing to stop her son from getting all this 'junk', apparently absolutely nothing. While I think they're unhealthy, I don't think everyone should wag their finger at the companies. The should be used in moderation, and the kids should be taught moderation by their parents.

Anthony

[maxxa1221]

I don't think they are huge problem for kids. I occasionally drink a sugar free monster or Red Bull, but never really before school. Personally caffeine doesn't have a big effect on me. However,I have felt much more focused and a great amount of clarity after drinking one of those 5 hour energy shots before school one day.

[TM_Cruzer]

Originally Posted by Bigg Oskee

i drink them because they taste good its really just soda to me i never get awaken by these things but GO NOS and ROCKSTAR woo wooo

Rockstar's owned by a very scetchy U.S. "Radical" group. Look it up.

[wardlarson]

i dont really have an opinion, the government shouldn't tell us what we can and can't drink so im just going with drink whatever you want. i voted no, not healthy, because it was the closest thing to 'no, they're not worth $3.50 for a glorified soda'

[Daddy Major]

just like w/ any other substance, it's up to the user to limit themselves on how much they consume. prohibition was put in place to stop spousal abuse and whatnot, but that was obviously lifted and now it's the responsibility of whomever consumes alcohol to do it safely and responsibly. now w/ the energy drinks causing kids to do worse in school, that's crap. it's the kids that are causing themselves to do poorly in school. did halo 3 make me do terrible in my classes?? no. i did. i was not responsible enough to turn the game off before 5 am and my grades suffered.

in short, energy drinks shouldn't be banned. if the kids lose concentration becuase they drink them, that's their fault and they will pay for it by failing. not every kid does worse in school because of energy drinks, so why should they ALL have to suffer??

[PimaBombz]

More tequila! If we pump out middle-schoolers full of liquor then surely they will mellow out a little bit after all that caffeine.

Just remember to switch off between shots and energy drinks, and you'll be feeling bright and chipper all day! No jitters, no crash!