Energy Drinks - Kids Beer?

Teens binging on energy drinks
Some Finnish kids are chugging up to a dozen energy drinks a day to get "buzzed."


“It’s not good that growing kids' hearts are pounding fast because of caffeine and sugar,” said Teija Pilli, a social worker at the Tripla youth centre in Lahti.

Pilli said she once encountered a young boy who had drunk 20 half-litre energy drink bottles. In addition to caffeine, one such beverage contains the equivalent of 14 sugar cubes.

“They call it getting buzzed,” she added.

Kids are using energy drinks to achieve a hyperactive state, according to Pilli. Energy drinks also appeal to kids because of their price, which is often half of regular soda.

The city of Lahti and the Finnish Parents’ League have joined forces to forbid people younger than 16 from buying the drinks often loaded with sugar and caffeine. Their petition needs 50,000 signatures to come before parliament.
Kid beer?

Fifteen-year-olds Daniel and Eve from Lahti are familiar with energy drink abuse. Daniel said he used to chug down one can a day but has since stopped because it was harming his sports performance.

“They made my pulse rise too quickly,” he explained.

Eve said she has less problems waking up in the morning after ditching her energy drink habit.

The duo said their peers like to think of energy drinks as beer.

“They feel like they’re adults when they have a lot of energy drinks. Friends will say, 'let's go to your place and drink – energy drinks.' Then they’ll throw back ten cans.”