School Officials Want Ban on Energy Drinks
July 31, 2008 – 8:02 pm by Nick
School officials are alarmed at the number of young students gulping down caffeinated energy drinks. Teachers in several schools complained that students were nervous and jumpy, during class. The number of fights have also increased.
In April, Hillsborough Middle School in central New Jersey became one of the first schools to ban the energy drinks. Parents have backed the ban of the expensive drinks that the cost of around $2 to $4 a can.
Spike LCC representative stated their products are for adults. “We can’t imagine why a school would feel the need to impose such a ban,” said a spokeswoman at Red Bull’s U.S. offices. Excessive intake of caffeine can cause insomnia and accelerated heart rates. Several high schools are considering banning the drinks. Dietitians say caffeine harms children more than adults.
In February 2007, Doherty High School in the Colorado Springs district banned energy drinks after six students complained accelerated heart rates and two were sent to the emergency room.
Nancy Lytle, a dietitian for the Lake Washington School District of Seattle, noticed a considerable drop in fights after the district banned the drinks from high school concessions.
