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Energy drinks and substance use A BC Adolescent Health Survey 2008 Fact Sheet Energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages, which often include high doses of sugar (or a Youth who consumed multiple energy sugar substitute) and herbal ingredients such as drinks the previous day were more likely guarana (a naturally occurring form of caffeine).1 to rate their general health as poor or fair (29%), compared to youth who With nearly three times more caffeine than a consumed energy drinks once (16%) or cup of coffee or a can of soda, energy drinks are not at all (15%).
designed to alleviate fatigue and increase alert-ness.2 Their use has become increasingly popular among young people and this fact sheet exam- energy drinks as females. In addition, youth in ines the relationship between energy drink con- rural areas were more likely to have energy drinks sumption and that of substances such as alcohol, than those living in urban areas (15% vs. 10%).
marijuana, and other drugs. Consumption of energy drinks was also more Energy Drink Consumption common among youth who went to bed hungry because there was not enough food at home. For example, youth who always went to bed hungry In 2008, 11% of youth across Grades 7-12 had were more than four times as likely to have had consumed energy drinks the day prior to com- at least one energy drink yesterday as those who pleting the BC Adolescent Health Survey. While never went to bed hungry. In fact, over a quarter 8% of youth had energy drinks once that day, of youth (26%) who always went to bed hungry 3% consumed these drinks twice or more. Males had consumed energy drinks on two or more were more than twice as likely to consume occasions the day before the survey.
Gender differences in energy drinks Consumed energy drinks yesterday by going to bed consumed yesterday hungry because there was not enough food at home Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement Energy drinks 1

Energy Drinks and Alcohol Saturday. In addition, 30% of youth who regularly binge drank (i.e., consumed five or more drinks Youth who had tried alcohol were more likely of alcohol in a row, on six or more days in the than those who had not, to have consumed at past month) reported having one or more energy least one energy drink the day before the survey drinks yesterday (compared to 8% of youth who (15% vs. 6%). The more frequently youth drank, did not binge drink in the past month). the more likely they were to consume energy drinks. For example, among youth who had drunk Energy Drinks and Marijuana alcohol on one or two days in the past month, 14% had also consumed one or more energy Compared to their peers who had never tried drinks yesterday. This compared to 28% of youth marijuana, those who had tried it were more who had drunk alcohol on 10 to 19 days, and 62% likely to have consumed energy drinks once (12% of those who drank alcohol daily.
vs. 6%) or multiple times (7% vs. 2%) the day before the survey. The more often youth used Youth who drank greater quantities of alcohol marijuana, the more likely they were to consume were also more likely to consume energy drinks. energy drinks. For example, 13% of youth who For example, 23% of those who consumed five used marijuana six or more times in the past or more drinks of alcohol last Saturday had also month had consumed multiple energy drinks the consumed energy drinks the day before taking day before, compared to 5% of youth who had the survey, compared to 15% who consumed one used marijuana up to five times and 2% who did to four drinks and 8% who had no alcohol last not use marijuana in the past month.
Consumed energy drinks twice or more yesterday by days used alcohol in past month 0 days 1 to 9 days 10 to 19 20 to 29 Alcohol on McCreary Centre Society Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement

The amount of marijuana use was also associ- Energy Drinks and Other Drugs ated with energy drink use. For example, among youth who had five or more joints the previous In addition to alcohol and marijuana, youth were Saturday, 38% consumed energy drinks the day also asked about their lifetime use of other drugs before the survey compared to 20% of youth who including prescription pills without a doctor's had two joints or less last Saturday.
consent, cocaine, hallucinogens, ecstasy, mush-rooms, inhalants, amphetamines, crystal meth, heroin, and steroids without a doctor's prescrip-tion. Youth who had tried any of these drugs Consumed energy drinks twice or more yesterday by amount of marijuana used last Saturday were more likely than those who had never tried them to have consumed one or more energy drinks the previous day (19% vs. 8%).
In general, more frequent lifetime use of drugs was associated with an increased likelihood of multiple energy drink consumption. For example, 33% of youth who used amphetamines three or more times had consumed multiple energy drinks No marijuana Up to 2 3 to 4 joints 5 or more the day prior, compared to 15% who had used amphetamines once or twice, and to 3% who had never used amphetamines. Consumed energy drinks twice or more yesterday by frequency of other drug use Never used drug   Used drug 1 or 2   Used drug 3 or more     times in life       times in life Hallucinogens Inhalants Amphetamines Crystal Meth Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement Energy drinks 3
This fact sheet demonstrates a link between Data for this fact sheet comes from the 2008 energy drink use and substance use among BC Adolescent Health Survey (AHS), a 146- youth. In general, increased substance use was item survey completed by nearly 30,000 associated with increased energy drink consump- students in Grades 7 to 12 in schools across tion. This suggests that some youth who engage BC. In all, 50 of 59 school districts took part in substance use are also obtaining relatively in the survey. Over 100,000 BC students have high doses of caffeine through energy drinks, completed the survey since the first one was and raises concerns of potentially dangerous side conducted in 1992. The fifth AHS will be in effects, especially if youth are using these sub- schools in 2013 and will include additional stances concurrently. questions about concurrent energy drink and substance use.
The AHS is conducted by the McCreary Centre Society, a non-profit organization dedicated 1. Brache, K., Thomas, G., & Stockwell, T. to improving the health of BC youth through (2012). Caffeinated alcoholic beverages research, information sharing, and commu- in Canada: Prevalence of use, risks nity-based projects that address the unmet and recommended policy responses. health needs of young people.
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 1-32. Retrieved from http://www.ccsa.
ca/2012%20CCSA%20Documents/CCSA-Caffeinated-Alcoholic-Beverages-in-Canada-2012-en.pdf This fact sheet was created by Langara College nursing students Tannis Meglaughlin 2. Attila, S., & Çakir, B. (2011). Energy drink and Stefanie Paludetto.
consumption in college students and associated factors. Nutrition, 27(3), 316-322. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2010.02.008 McCreary
Centre Society
3552 Hastings Street East Vancouver, BC V5K 2A7 McCreary Centre Society Youth health • Youth research • Youth engagement

Source: http://www.mcs.bc.ca/pdf/Energy_Drink_Factsheet.pdf