TEENS ENERGY DRINKS DRIVING DEB FLECK ILSOS- DRIVER SERVICES CAFFEINE INTOXICATION

GROWING PROBLEM AMONG TEENS WE ARE NOW IN THE PROM AND GRADUATION SEASONS. TEENS WILL BE DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS IN A CAR WHILE ATTENDING PARTIES AT FRIEND’S HOMES OR CELEBRATING AT THEIR OWN HOMES. HEALTH RESEARCHERS ARE IDENTIFYING A NEW RISKY BEHAVIOR PATTERN WITH TEENS, DRIVING AND ENERGY DRINKS.

ENERGY DRINKS-TEEN DRIVING-THE NEW ALCOHOL

SUPER-CAFFEINATED ENERGY DRINKS HAVE SURGED IN POPULARITY IN THE PAST DECADE. APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF YEAR OLDS REGULARLY CONSUME ENERGY DRINKS. U.S. SALES OF NON-ALCOHOLIC ENERGY DRINKS ARE LIKELY TO HIT $9 BILLION THIS YEAR, WITH TEENS MAKING UP HALF THE MARKET.

ENERGY DRINKS-TEEN DRIVING-THE NEW ALCOHOL DRINKERS WHO CONSUME ALCOHOL WITH ENERGY DRINKS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BINGE DRINK. 90% OF ALL TEENAGE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS BINGE DRINKING. BINGE DRINKING IS THE CONSUMPTION OF FOUR OR MORE DRINKS. ENERGY DRINKS ARE CATEGORIZED AS “NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS”- SO DON’T HAVE TO FOLLOW FDA CAFFEINE RESTRICTIONS- INSERT ALCOHOL TO THE MIX- ADDS UP TO A COMPLICATED SCENARIO. ENERGY DRINKS HAVE 4-5 TIMES THE CAFFEINE OF SODA.

ENERGY DRINKS-TEEN DRIVING-THE NEW ALCOHOL TEENS AFTER CONSUMPTION OF THE ENERGY DRINKS WERE FOUND TO BE “LITERALLY DRUNK ON A CAFFEINE BUZZ OR FALLLING OFF A CAFFEINE CRASH.” NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE DRINKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH FAR MORE THAN A HEALTH RISK OF JITTERY EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE. ENERGY DRINKS HAVE BEEN LINKED WITH REPORTS OF NAUSEA, ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHMS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS VISITS. DATA SUGGESTS THAT REGULAR CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY DRINKS BY TEENS MAY BE A RED FLAG OF AN INCLINATION TOWARDS OTHER MORE DANGEROUS RISK TAKING BEHAVIOURS.

ENERGY DRINKS-TEEN DRIVING-THE NEW ALCOHOL THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF MIXING ENERGY DRINKS WITH ALCOHOL. CAN YOU NAME THE MOST POPULAR ENERGY/ALCOHOL DRINK? THE ADDITION OF CAFFEINE CAN MAKE ALCOHOL USERS FEEL LESS DRUNK, BUT MOTOR COORDINATION AND VISUAL REACTION TIME ARE JUST AS IMPAIRED AS WHEN ALCOHOL IS DRANK BY ITSELF. YOU ARE EVERY BIT AS DRUNK, JUST AN AWAKE DRUNK!

ENERGY DRINKS-TEEN DRIVING-THE NEW ALCOHOL AS LITTLE AS TWO CANS OF THESE ENERGY DRINKS CAN INDUCE RESTLESSNESS, IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT, INSOMNIA, EXCITEMENT OR A RAMBLING FLOW OF THOUGHT AND SPEECH. THE PROBLEMS START TO OCCUR WITH CONTINUED USE OF THESE CAFFEINATED ENERGY DRINKS BY A DRIVER. THE RESULTING TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR CAUSES DRIVERS TO BECOME AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS. THIS LEADS TO POOR DECISION MAKING RESULTING IN THESE DRIVERS BEING DEADLY ON THE ROADWAYS.

BLACKOUT IN A CAN CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - CABS

IN 2008, 13 STATE’S ATTORNEYS AND A CITY ATTORNEY INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION OF CABS. TO DATE, NO FEDERAL OR STATE LAWS ARE IN PLACE TO SPECIFICALLY REGULATE OR BAN THE SALE OF CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES (CABS). THE FDA IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE SAFETY OF SUCH DRINKS AND HAS ORDERED THE MAKERS TO CEASE THE ADDITION OF A HIGH CAFFEINE CONTENT TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

BLACKOUT IN A CAN CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - CABS CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CAN CONTAIN ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 12 PERCENT ALCOHOL. THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO 2 TO 4 BEERS RESPECTIVELY. AS A STIMULANT, CAFFEINE JAZZES UP YOUR WHOLE BODY. ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSENT THAT SLOWS DOWN THE BRAIN’S FUNCTIONING. MIXED TOGETHER, THE STIMULANT AND THE DEPRESSANT DO NOT CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT.

BLACKOUT IN A CAN CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - CABS HOW DID ALL THIS START? IN 2008, CAB’S (CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES) LIKE FOUR LOKO AND JOOSE WERE BEING CONSUMED IN RECKLESS AMOUNTS BY UNDERAGE DRINKERS. CURRENTLY, MORE THAN 25 BRANDS OF CABS ARE SOLD IN A VARIETY OF RETAIL ALCOHOL OUTLETS, INCLUDING CONVENIENCE STORES. CABS ARE HEAVILY MARKETED IN YOUTH- FRIENDLY MEDIA, I.E. WEBSITES WITH DOWNLOADABLE IMAGES, GRAPHICS, ETC.

BLACKOUT IN A CAN CAFFEINATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - CABS THIS COMBINATION OF ALCOHOL AND CAFFEINE CREATES A FALSE SENSE OF SOBRIETY WHICH ALLOWS THE TEEN TO ENGAGE IN RISKY BEHAVIOUR SUCH AS DRIVING WITHOUT REALIZING EXACTLY HOW INTOXICATED HE/SHE MIGHT BE. THIS INTOXICATION MASKING CAN LEAD TO ALCHOL POISONING. ONE 23.5 OUNCE CAN OF FOUR LOKO CONTAINS THE SAME ALCOHOL CONTENT AS THREE 12 OZ BEERS. RECENT TRENDS SHOW TEEN’S GROWING PREFERENCE FOR HARD LIQUOR OVER BEER IS STEADILY INCREASING NATIONWIDE.

DRIVER EDUCATION –WHAT CAN WE DO? INFORM PARENTS– MAKE THIS PART OF YOUR PARENT NIGHT PRESENTATION. INCLUDE INFORMATION IN PRE- PROM AND GRADUATION PREPARATIONS. ADD INFORMATION ON THESE NEW TRENDS TO CURRENT DRIVER EDUCATION CURRICULUM. UPDATE THE STUDENTS ON THE DANGERS OF ENERGY DRINKS BY MAKING THIS A CLASSROOM PROJECT TO CREATE PAMPHLETS, BROCHURES OR BANNERS DETAILING THE ADVERSE AFFECTS OF CONSUMING ENERGY DRINKS AND DRIVING.

DRIVER EDUCATION –WHAT CAN WE DO? INCLUDE HEALTH OFFICIALS AS CLASSROOM SPEAKERS TO TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH DANGERS OF CONSUMING ENERGY DRINKS AND DRIVING. GET THE COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVED BY DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES ON THE DANGERS OF UNDERAGE CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY DRINKS-CABS- ALCOHOL AND DRIVING.

CAFFEINE INTOXICATION TEENS - ENERGY DRINKS – DRIVING WE KNOW: APPROXIMATELY 200,000 ADOLESCENTS VISIT EMERGENCY ROOMS EACH YEAR DUE TO DRINKING- RELATED INCIDENTS. UNDERAGE DRINKING DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE, IT IMPACTS ALL DEMOGRAPHICS AND COMMUNITIES. THE PEAK TIMES ARE USUALLY IN MAY AND JUNE WHEN TEENS ARE CELEBRATING PROMS AND GRADUATION. THIS TIME OF YEAR IS COMMONLY CALLED “THE KILLING SEASON” DON’T LET THAT BE TRUE OF YOUR SCHOOL. MAKE A DIFFERENCE - KEEP INFORMED AND PROACTIVE.

NEW ON THE HORIZON

THERE’S A NEW TROUBLING TREND AMONG TEENS- TRYING TO GET DRUNK ---- GUZZLING HAND SANITIZER. TEENS ARE DISTILLING HAND SANITIZER PRODUCTS, WHICH TYPICALLY CONTAIN 62% ETHYL ALCOHOL, USING SALT TO SEPARATE THE ALCOHOL. THE RESULT IS A POWERFUL 120 PROOF SHOT.

NEW ON THE HORIZON USING HAND SANITIZER TO GET DRUNK IS SIMILAR TO EARLIER TRENDS TO GET WASTED BY DOWNING MOUTH WASH OR COUGH SYRUP, ALSO KNOWN AS ROBO-TRIPPING. EXPERTS ARE CONCERNED THE TREND COULD GO VIRAL AS MORE TEENS DISCOVER HOW TO DISTILL THE LIQUID SANITIZER ON THE WEB.

CAFFEINE INTOXICATION TEENS - ENERGY DRINKS – DRIVING THANK YOU CONTACT INFORMATION: DEB FLECK ILSOS – DRIVER SERVICES DEPT S. DIRKSEN PARKWAY SPRINGFIELD, IL