Is Caffeine Powder the Deadly New Drug for Teens?
Caffeine powder is the newest drug trend among teenagers, and according to authorities the appeal is proving deadly. If you haven't heard of caffeine powder, it's the popular new coffee-alternative among the younger set. This highly concentrated form of caffeine is being used by overworked teenagers to study longer, work out harder, and beat the competition. Unfortunately for those overachieving kids, most people simply don't understand how powerful this concoction can be...including them.
Unlike soda, coffee, and even energy drinks, caffeine powder is so intensely concentrated that the smallest doses can result in serious consequences. One teaspoon of powdered caffeine is equal to approximately 25 cups of coffee. To put this in perspective, experts believe you shouldn't have more than 400 milligrams of caffeine within four hours, but a single teaspoon of this powdery product can contain up to 2000 milligrams.
And while we've all experienced the unpleasant jitters associated with too much caffeine, the powder's side effects are far more dangerous. Extremely high levels of caffeine can result in heart palpitations, seizures, and even death. To make matters worse, there's no real regulation for the powder; teenagers can order it online without any problem, add it to their smoothies or shakes, and no one will be the wiser.
If you think this is all much ado about nothing (after all, who isn't a caffeine addict in this day and age?), here's a sobering statistic: This year alone there have been 30 powdered caffeine overdoses nationwide. Some of the victims suffered heart attacks and kidney failure from ingesting the powder. One victim, who died, was just 18 years old.
"It's extremely toxic," Texas Poison Center's managing director Jeanie Jaramillo said in an interview with Cincinnati.com. "You take teens who think they're invincible anyway, and you're asking for trouble."
Purveyors of the powder have officially stated that there is no cause for this concern; they insist that when used correctly, the caffeine powder is a safe and effective stimulant. Of course, they also suggest that for safe measurements you should invest in a micro-scale (the correct dosage of caffeine powder is actually 1/16th of a teaspoon) and consult a doctor before taking the supplement.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about the powder, especially when used in conjunction with energy drinks or other boosters. But there is no official legislation surrounding caffeine powder, and the popularity among stressed-out teens is rapidly on the rise. Concerned officials are issuing alerts to schools across the country, urging parents to talk about the problem with their children. But in a world where illegal drugs and alcohol are pressing issues in schools, it's going to be hard to get people up in arms about something as seemingly harmless as caffeine. And unless kids are better educated on the dangers of caffeine powder, this deadly problem is probably only going to get worse.
[Pic via Flickr - KOMUNews]
