Double Trouble

The two most commonly used drugs on college campus are probably alcohol and caffeine…not necessarily in that order. Both of these substances are easily available, and for caffeine at least, there are no restrictions on how much you can buy and consume. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that various individuals have combined the two substances over the years. What’s new, however, is marketing energy drinks that combine the two substances in a handy canned beverage. Several of these alcoholic energy drinks have come under fire recently, after two recent incidents in Washington state and in Ramapo, New Jersey, where college students overdosed on a potent mix of alcohol and caffeine. Many students have the impression that the depressant effects of alcohol can be counteracted by the stimulant effects of caffeine. In short, drinking a big cup of coffee ought to get you sober enough to drive home.

Unfortunately, this isn’t true. As the saying goes, coffee doesn’t make you less drunk; it makes you a wide awake drunk. Even worse, people who mix alcohol and caffeine are likely to drink more, and to underestimate how drunk they are. Caffeinated drunks are far more likely to try to drive home, lulled by a false sense of alertness.

Several states, including Michigan and New York, are contemplating regulating the sale of alcoholic energy drinks. I don’t think that this is a prudent measure to take. State governments probably shouldn’t have the authority to ban or regulate the sale of these drinks. Nothing will stop students or others from creating homegrown versions. A wiser course of action would be to push the FDA into requiring the alcohol and caffeine content be clearly labeled on the container. This measure would help to alert the drinker to what they are drinking, and possibly prevent them from going overboard. Every little bit helps, and consumers should be warned about the possible dangers of mixing alcohol and caffeine.

http://www.mpnnow.com/ontario_county/x1684097628/When-alcohol-meets-caffeine-A-dangerous-brew

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130977580

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/01/fda-caffeine-and-alcohol-dont-mix/

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/02/red_bull_alcohol_drunk_driving.html