There is a new trend among college students and in the bar scenes, it doesn’t involve how they drink, but rather what they are drinking. Mixing energy drinks with alcohol has become popular. Drinks such as red bull vodka and jager bombs are made and sold every night. There are also drinks sold that are pre-mixed containing both alcohol and an energy component and are sold in most convenient stores. But are they safe? 

Well they sure aren’t healthy. The drinks contain two times more sugar than a can of soda, up to five times more caffeine than a cup of coffee,  and possibly more than twice as much alcohol as a can of beer.

Energy drinks are a stimulant while alcohol is a depressant. So the drinks confuse the brain.  It is because of the energy component that drinkers feel less “drunken” effects. However their body is still drunk! This leads to drinking to excess and possibly alcohol poisoning.

One study by Wake Forest University found that mixing alcohol and energy drinks made students twice as likely to ride with a drunk driver, twice as likely to be injured, and twice as likely to take advantage of someone sexually, compared to alcohol without the added caffeine. This could be because the students don't think they are drunk because of the lack of side effects. When in reality their bodies are extremely drunken and unable to make responsible decisions.

The advertising of alcoholic energy drinks has come under speculation. The cans themselves are confusing - the same size, shape and style of  their non-alcoholic cousins.  It is difficult to tell which brands contain alcohol and which do not. And the edgy ads clearly target kids too young to legally drink. Advocacy groups are currently working on creating laws to mandate that energy drinks containing alcohol be placed with alcoholic beverages and that convenience store workers be made aware of these products. Additionally the marketing does not only advertise the drink, but a lifestyle. A lifestyle where you can stay up all night drinking, and be sexy doing it.  Ads show strong men and sexy women enjoying their products. Marketing will make you believe just about anything…