College bans sales of energy drinks on campus

Handfuls of studies have warned that energy drinks could lead to abnormal heart rhythm and seizures and health officials are also concerned about caffeine and sugar levels.

Youngsters will still be allowed to have such drinks on campus, provided that they purchase them elsewhere, and will still be able to buy other beverages rich in caffeine, such as Guayaki Yerba Mate organic tea.

College officials blame the drinks as causing “problematic behavior”, such as “high-risk sexual activity” and alcohol abuse, adding they don’t fit with the dining service’s mission to “nourish” students.

A pamphlet from the college read, “Energy drink consumption facilitates unhealthy work habits such as prolonged periods of sleeplessness, contributing to a campus culture of stress and unsustainable study habits”. Naturally, Kamisher-Koch was not the only one who thought that energy drinks are risky. 22-year old Arnav Adhikari, who is also employed part-time at Wilson Cafe, has argued that business will now be significantly affected by the energy drink ban, given the fact that so many students used to order such beverages.

Those seeking to quench their thirst and get an energy boost will be hard pressed at Middlebury College in Vermont, which has just banned the sale of drinks like Red Bull because they apparently contribute to excessive drinking and “high risk” sex.

Based on his recommendations, Vermont’s Middlebury College chose to halt the sales of energy drinks all over the campus.

“The school has a responsibility to direct students to healthy choices through what they provide”.

“I see it as the equivalent of banning cigarettes”, Detora said.

According to a study by the University of Buffalo in 2012, College students who drank energy drinks as a mixer with alcohol were more likely to have casual sex.

Meanwhile, Dan Detora, executive director of food service operations at Middlebury College, has defended the energy drink ban, explaining that it’s actually similar to prohibiting smoking in public spaces.

Health experts agree that energy drinks, when abused, are at best unhealthy, and at worst risky: Even just one 16-ounce energy drink can increase blood pressure and stress hormones and could put a healthy young adult at risk for heart damage, concludes a 2015 Mayo Clinic study.

Drink to think? According to Red Bull’s website, their energy drink contains as much caffeine as an 8 oz cup of coffee.