Adolescents and young adults, who consume too many energy drinks are much more likely to use cocaine and amphetamines later in life.
According to the findings of a new study which revealed this development, people who drank large volumes of the highly caffeinated beverages were also much more likely to develop alcoholism than their peers.
The new study by researchers from the University of Maryland, is published in the journal ‘Drug and Alcohol Dependence’. Just over half of the 1,099 participants were deemed to be on a “persistent trajectory”, indicating they persistently used energy drinks over a four-year period.
This significantly increased their risk of developing alcoholism by the age of 25. Participants on the mid-to-high end of the spectrum studied had a significantly higher risk of moving on to drugs like cocaine and other stimulants.
Cocaine and amphetamines are common drugs that are often abused in Nigeria by the youths. Historically, amphetamines has been used to treat nasal congestion and depression. It is also used as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer, and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant. It is a prescription drug in many countries, and unauthorised possession and distribution of amphetamine are often tightly controlled due to the significant health risks associated with its recreational use.
Over 40 per cent of Nigerian youths engage in substance abuse. Medical experts warn that abuse of cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, recreational or prescription drugs, among others are serious issues impacting health negatively and should not be ignored.
However, lead author on the new United States (U.S)-based study, Professor Amelia Arria, said: “This study gives evidence of a specific contribution of energy drink consumption to later substance use.”
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