Teenagers risking health for sake of a caffeine kick
CHILDREN as young as 11 are risking their health with a playground craze which involves mixing high energy caffeine tablets and drinks for a “buzz”, experts warned yesterday.
A joint investigation by trading standards officials and police found youngsters are buying products such as NRG Now capsules, which contain high levels of caffeine and are marked as not for use by people under the age of 18.
They are taking the pills together with drinks like Red Bull, Relentless or Red Rooster, which also contain lots of caffeine.
Bob Tait, of charity Drugs Education UK, said children were using caffeine to get a “buzz”. He said: “As the availability of alcohol is being increasingly restricted they are turning to other things to get a kick and caffeine is one of them, because there are no restrictions on it.
“The 15 to 18 year-olds are also using it to get revision or that last minute essay done, but what they don’t realise is you are then going to be tired during the day and need more caffeine.”
He added: “There should be better education across the whole spectrum, from parents and children to retailers and manufacturers, to make them more aware of the dangers that caffeine can do to young people.”
Consumption of caffeine-enriched drinks has soared in recent years – but large amounts of caffeine can cause rapid heartbeat, nervousness, irritability and sleeplessness in young people.
Strathclyde Police and Argyll and Bute Council’s trading standards team have visited shops that sell energy capsules to remind them of their responsibilities.
Councillor Donald McIntosh urged retailers not to sell the products to anyone under 18.
He added: “The effects of taking these capsules with caffeinated drinks are potentially serious and I would urge young people not to put themselves at risk in this way.”
