Don’t be tempted by energy drinks
I praise Esther Cepeda’s persistence in trying to educate her children on the dangers of energy drinks in her Nov. 7 column, “Keeping energy drinks out of kids’ hands is difficult.” Too often, teenagers are not aware of the side effects that come with consuming such products and get caught up in the hype without thinking about the repercussions.
Being a teenager myself, I will admit I have been tempted numerous times to guzzle one of those cans. At a school with a relatively rigorous academic program, this is not uncommon for most students. Doing well on a 10-page paper or studying for a huge midterm test, even in high school, can sometimes seem more important than the threat of a heart attack later on. In those desperate hours, however, my knowledge of the health risks and cases of past tragic incidents regarding these beverages, not unlike the stories Cepeda shares with her children at the dinner table, have deterred me from taking those caffeinated sips.
While teenagers may scoff at the mention of health risks, I implore parents to expose their children to the dangers of energy drinks — it may just save them in the future.
Christiana Nguyen
Vancouver
