Caffeine Inhalables a Danger for Kids and Teens

Caffeine Inhalables a Danger for Kids and Teens

By: Nancy Toran

Remember when your Mom said you were too young to drink coffee; I do.  There was a good reason our parents didn't want us drinking coffee and for that matter, copious qualities of any caffeinated beverages.  They are not good for us; They keep us awake when we should be asleep; they increase our heart rates; they make us jittery; they increase our stress hormones; they alter us.

There is a true concern when over-tired young people (or anyone for that matter) reaches for caffeine as a stimulant.  Aside from the dubious value imparted, I doubt very much that many of these kids have the discernment to manage the dose they inhale.  I plead guilty to worship at the shrine of the coffee during my life, building up cup after cup to a pot in the past.  I did however have a visual available at the ready ~ I could see that coffee disappearing out of the magic pot and I knew it hadn't evaporated.  I dare say this is not the case with inhalables and for the over-tired or over-stimulated, the count could get confusing awfully fast. 

In stress management classes with cardiac patients one recommendation we routinely make to patients is a cut back on caffeine, in addition to the crucial importance of good and sufficient sleep.  I'd suggest caffeine inhalables are setting our kids up to be the future patients/students of these classes.

For more in depth reading, I recommend Mary Clare Jalonick's excellect article below:

Supplements

AeroShot Inhalable Caffeine Gets FDA Warning Letter

You had to see this coming: federal health officials question AeroShot's safety and its potential for misuse by children and teens.

By Mary Clare Jalonick | AP | March 7, 2012 | 1

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Courtesy of AeroShot

Food and Drug Administration officials have issued a warning letter to the makers of the inhalable caffeine product AeroShot, saying they have questions about its safety and concerns about how children and adolescents may use it.
The lipstick-sized AeroShot went on the market in January in Massachusetts and New York, and it’s also available in France. Consumers put one end of the plastic canister in their mouths and breathe in, releasing a fine powder that dissolves almost instantly. The product’s website calls it “a revolutionary new way to get your energy.”
The FDA said the Massachusetts-based company behind AeroShot, Breathable Foods, misled consumers by saying the product can be both inhaled and ingested, which is not possible. The agency said it is concerned consumers may try to inhale it into their lungs, which may not be safe.
The letter also pointed out that the company’s website says it is not recommended for those under the age of 18, while the product label says it is not recommended for those under 12. At the same time, the FDA said, the company targets both age groups by suggesting it be used while studying.
In a statement, Breathable Foods CEO Tom Hadfield said the product is not intended for those under 18. He said the company will work closely with FDA to ensure compliance.
“AeroShot delivers a mix of B vitamins and caffeine to the mouth for ingestion and is not ‘inhaled’ into the lungs,” he said.
Another problem cited by the FDA was links on the company’s website to articles that mention using the caffeine product with alcohol. The FDA has attempted raise awareness about the dangers of the combination of caffeine and alcohol in recent years, saying it can lead to “a state of wide-awake drunk” and has caused alcohol poisoning, car accidents and assaults. The agency cracked down on the sale of the energy-alcohol drink Four Loko in 2010, forcing the makers of that product to remove the caffeine.
AeroShot didn’t require FDA review before hitting the U.S. market because it’s sold as a dietary supplement, and FDA regulations require supplement manufacturers themselves to be responsible for products’ safety. If the agency decides a product isn’t safe, it can take action, including taking the product off store shelves.
The company has 15 days to respond to the letter, which asked Breathable Foods to correct the violations the FDA cited and to submit its research on the product’s safety to the agency.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., had urged the FDA to crack down on the product, which is being sold in his state, saying children and adolescents may abuse it.
“This stern warning is the clearest indication yet that AeroShot needs to be taken off the market until these concerns can be addressed and the product’s safety can be confirmed,” he said.

Related Topics: AeroShot, FDA warning, Diet & Fitness, Supplements

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/07/aeroshot-inhalable-caffeine-gets-fda-warning-letter/#ixzz1oWM57CS9

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