Caffeine
isn't just in coffees, teas, and sodas anymore - it's in energy drinks,
food, and even chewing gums. But what's the cumulative impact of all
that stimulant?
Caffeine is, according to New Scientist,
the planet's most popular "psychoactive drug." In the United States
alone, more than 90% of adults are estimated to use it every day.
But
now even the US - home of Coca-Cola, Starbucks and the 5-Hour Energy
shot - is questioning the wisdom of adding it to everyday foodstuffs
like waffles, sunflower seeds, trail mix and jelly beans.
In a statement, the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highlighted the "unfortunate
example" of Wrigley chewing gum producing packs of eight sticks which
each contained as much caffeine as half a cup of coffee. Subsequently,
Wrigley said it would "pause" production of the product.
The
agency is also looking at highly-caffeinated energy drinks, and said it
was concerned about the "cumulative impact" of adding stimulants to
products.
According to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, the number of people seeking emergency
treatment after ingesting energy drinks doubled to more than 20,000 in 2011.
Jon Kelly of BBC News Magazine has the post that'll go perfect with that cup of coffee:
Here.
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