Want some Cocaine?
No, we're not talking about the powdery drug.
Apparently, in the race to be a recognized energy drink in a booming market, a new energy drink branded itself Cocaine.
Why?
Well, according to the NY Times article, The Energy-Drink Buzz Is Unmistakable. The Health Impact Is Unknown, the founder of Cocaine said "It was always the plan to let negative publicity move us forward. There is an enormous amount of competition out there." We're sure there are better ways to get publicity. He just validates Esther Dyson's comment regarding the "sleezy* marketers" (check out our entry here).
According to the article, "energy drinks are a $3.7 billion industry whose revenues have increased by 51 percent in the past year alone." (That's pretty impressive).
Yet, how safe are all these energy drinks? Granted, we know engineers who drink Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper or Tab by the cases because of their high caffeine content (more than regular Coke or Pepsi, we're told). But energy drinks have double the caffeine—normally, 2-3 times the amount in a cup of coffee. Cocaine itself claims to have 280 milligrams of caffeine. (Vivarin has 200 milligrams according to the Nutrition Action Health Letter).
Again, is it safe? Experts don't know because "there is little scientific research on how high intakes of caffeine affect adolescents over the long term." In addition, "caffeine is difficult to abuse; unpleasant side effects appear even at modest doses, and toxicity occurs only at very high doses."
A grande latte with a shot of expresso, please!
Apparently, in the race to be a recognized energy drink in a booming market, a new energy drink branded itself Cocaine.
Why?
Well, according to the NY Times article, The Energy-Drink Buzz Is Unmistakable. The Health Impact Is Unknown, the founder of Cocaine said "It was always the plan to let negative publicity move us forward. There is an enormous amount of competition out there." We're sure there are better ways to get publicity. He just validates Esther Dyson's comment regarding the "sleezy* marketers" (check out our entry here).
According to the article, "energy drinks are a $3.7 billion industry whose revenues have increased by 51 percent in the past year alone." (That's pretty impressive).
Yet, how safe are all these energy drinks? Granted, we know engineers who drink Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper or Tab by the cases because of their high caffeine content (more than regular Coke or Pepsi, we're told). But energy drinks have double the caffeine—normally, 2-3 times the amount in a cup of coffee. Cocaine itself claims to have 280 milligrams of caffeine. (Vivarin has 200 milligrams according to the Nutrition Action Health Letter).
Again, is it safe? Experts don't know because "there is little scientific research on how high intakes of caffeine affect adolescents over the long term." In addition, "caffeine is difficult to abuse; unpleasant side effects appear even at modest doses, and toxicity occurs only at very high doses."
A grande latte with a shot of expresso, please!
*(yes, the word “sleezy” is purposely misspelled)
posted by CareTALKGals(tm) at 12/11/2006 11:30:00 PM
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