Caffeine and Alcohol a bad mix
Teens are very frequently mixing energy drinks like Red Bull with Alcohol and there are a number or premixed caffeine-alcohol drinks available.
A researcher at the University of Victoria is calling out the dangers of consuming energy drinks and alcohol, a widespread practice that poses serious risks to health and public safety.
Youth who combined caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol, or consumed premixed caffeinated alcoholic beverages, were more likely than those who drank alcohol alone to engage in risky behaviour, including driving intoxicated or getting in a vehicle with a drunk driver.
Many adolescents who drink are drinking with the intent of getting as ''messed up'' as possible. Most parents don't have any idea what their kids are up to as they want to trust them and are not seeing them at the worst. Kids are 'sleeping over'' at someone's house, usually where there is minimal or no supervision.
Once your blood alcohol is over about .05 (2 to three drinks) you start to lose your ability to accurately assess how drunk you are, mixing a stimulant (like and caffeine enriched energy drink) confuses the brain and you will perceive that you aren't as bad as you really are.
Both the alcohol beverage industry and the energy drink industry are in business to make money.
Because the trend of mixing these two things together is new there are no reliable statistics to point out the harm that is being done.
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Sales of premixed alcoholic energy drinks in Canada has increased by 296 per cent between 2005 and 2010. The circled cans in the photo indicate the premixed drinks.
According to the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse.
Young adults consume the drinks at a level four times higher than the general public.
Check with your kids, see what they think about this trend.
