High School Awareness against Energy Drinks

Local agencies that track substance abuse are concerned about the youth-oriented marketing and health effects of energy drinks. Energy drinks are canned or bottled beverages sold in convenience stores, while usually mixed with alcoholic beverages in bars and nightclubs. They are usually carbonated drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients, such as B vitamins and guarana. However, recent studies have shown that an excessive consumption of caffeine may cause negative adverse effects such as anxiety, insomnia and tachycardia. Mixed with alcohol, a depressant that slows down respiration and heart rate, increases the risk of cardiac-related problems due to sending mixed signals to the nervous system. The Israeli Ministry of Health plans to build awareness workshop programs marketed in high schools and plan to publish internet sites which would explain the risks attached to high amount of caffeine consumption in general and specifically in energy drinks. Moreover they intend to attach warning tags on the beverage's containers.