Caffeine. We all know it, we all love it, but should we rely on it? Probably not.
This school year, Liberty’s own cafeteria has begun to feed into this all-too-common teenage addiction through its addition of Sparkling Ice Energy drinks to its beverage repertoire, allowing underclassmen access to purchasing energy drinks on campus during lunch.
The introduction is timely considering the recent increase in concern about caffeine consumption among adolescents. With Prime being sued for marketing energy drinks to minors, and the state of Connecticut considering a ban on the sale of energy drinks to those under 16, the American Pediatric Association’s guideline that those under 18 shouldn’t consume more than 100mg of caffeine in a day is being taken increasingly seriously across the nation.
“I see people holding energy drinks and buying drinks from RVC, and then others feel pressured to buy and drink it too,” sophomore Keerthana Addanki said. “Drinking caffeine is a social thing. People think they look cool.”
This social pressure is likely a key factor in why 36% of Liberty students reported drinking more than four caffeinated beverages a week, according to a survey of 102 students. This culture of optimizing caffeine, making it appear “cool”, results in students who don’t necessarily need caffeine to get through the day, consuming it.
While caffeine can negatively affect sleep, mood, and heart health, it generally seems to be, and in many ways is, a harmless drug. However, the dose makes the poison, and the underdeveloped teenage brain isn’t always able to regulate how much caffeine they are consuming. This argument plays a key role in the argument for regulation of the drug, both in schools and on a governmental level.
“For myself, I make sure I have caffeine early in the day so it doesn’t affect my sleep, but some people don’t have self control over it. I know people who have five Redbulls a day,” sophomore Addie Steur said.
Five 8.4 ounce cans of Redbull is equivalent to 400 mg of caffeine. That is 4x the recommended amount for 12-18 year olds and equal to the maximum amount any adult should be consuming. Now, the Liberty cafeteria is giving teenagers access to these sweet, bubbly beverages, introducing young highschoolers to caffeine before their prefrontal cortex is developed enough to self-regulate how much of it they are consuming.
Despite these potential risks, there is a question as to whether or not caffeine is actually the root of the problem.
“Teenagers drinking caffeine is warranted, but it’s also harmful. People have some wild sleep schedules, and caffeine makes it so they can get through the day, but at the same time, it’s more of a band aid to the bigger problem of not getting enough sleep,” junior Nick St. Pierre Nelson said.
If the problem lies in the fact that high schoolers don’t get enough sleep and truly rely on caffeine, then placing restrictions on its consumption won’t fix the problem.
Regardless of what lies at the root of the problem, the Liberty community needs to take a serious look at whether or not the caffeine served at Liberty is best serving the student body.
