With university exams less than three weeks away, Brian Haines wants to be well stocked on energy drinks and candy for the weeks ahead.
The convenience store manager in the Student Union Building estimates energy drinks will sell “somewhere around 30 per cent more come exam period.”
He said candy sees a similar jump in sales, and the caffeinated chocolate bars he began selling about a year ago see an even bigger increase.
Laura Brennan, a senior program adviser for New Brunswick’s chief medical officer, sees a trend in students becoming dependent on the drinks.
She was involved in a public consultation earlier this month in Fredericton, discussing what can be done to curb energy drink consumption in youth.
“A lot of university students are over 19 and adults, so, any legislation we could discuss wouldn’t effect them anyways. But, what they need to know is when you’re consuming large amounts of caffeine it can really affect your sleep patterns. In youth and young adults, sleep is important to hormonal balance and to simply being productive during the day,” Brennan said.
While one energy drink can be a quick fix for a poor night’s sleep or a stressful day ahead, drinking them habitually can be counterproductive. Anxiety, nervousness and insomnia afflict many regular energy drinkers. Heart problems like murmurs, palpitations or heart attacks can also happen.
STU help desk volunteer Devin Donegani used to rely on energy drinks to get through high school.
The recommended dose on most cans is to not exceed one can daily. He would drink three or four.
“I found it helped with school. I was constantly on the go, I was getting things done and I was more focused on everything. The problem was one energy drink might wake me up in the morning but come lunchtime I’d crash, and so I’d have a second energy drink. And then come supper time if I was doing something that night, like, going out with friends, I’d have a third, maybe a fourth one,” said Donegani.
“It backfired once. I had a panic attack.”
Donegani would often over-do it with energy drinks, leading to an increased heart rate. On top of an already stressed and anxious mind, this was enough to set him off.
“My heart rate and blood pressure went through the roof. I was physically shaking. My mind was going faster than I could talk. I started freaking out and I felt completely out of control,” Donegani said.
What started as a quick pick-me-up quickly became an addiction and a serious medical problem.
The government hosted a consultation on Oct. 1. Stakeholders, including those in education and the sale of energy drinks, discussed consumption by the youth.
“The overwhelming response is that it’s not one single answer that is going to fix this. It’s got to be a multi-pronged approach,” said Brennan.
Haines’ store, the Campus Shop, sells mainly to students. He said while they may see sales decline, he would have no problem with legislation that would restrict sales to minors. He said adults should be free to choose.
“I’m kind of high-energy all the time, at least once I get going, so I don’t really need it, and a lot of people are like that. Most people either don’t drink them, or only buy one on occasion.”
Despite previous trouble with the drinks, Donegani has learned to drink them responsibly.
“I still will drink an energy drink or two when I’m getting ready for the final exams at the end of the semester and things like that. It’s not a big deal.”
