“Persistent” Use of Energy Drinks Linked to Alcohol Disorder and Cocaine Use

A study by University of Maryland researchers has purportedly
found that adolescents and young adults whose consumption of
energy drinks continued or increased after age 21 are at increased
risk of alcohol use disorder, cocaine use or nonmedical stimulant
use by age 25. Amelia M. Arria, et al., “Trajectories of energy drink
consumption and subsequent drug use during young adulthood,”
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, August 7, 2017. The study
recruited subjects at age 18 and tracked their consumption of
highly caffeinated energy drinks through age 25. Although overall
consumption declined after age 21 and 20.6 percent of that age
group did not consume the drinks at all, 51.4 percent of the
subjects apparently demonstrated “persistent” use that predicted
alcohol, cocaine or stimulant abuse.

Issue 644