Energy drink use is associated with subsequent nonmedical prescription stimulant use among college students

Energy drinks are highly caffeinated products marketed to young people and are increasingly popular. Little research has examined possible health and behavioral consequences of energy drink use. This study investigated the association between energy drink use and subsequent alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among college students. Stratified random sampling was used to recruit 1,253 students, ages 17-19, from a large, mid-Atlantic public university. Beginning in their first year, participants were annually interviewed about AOD use (tobacco, marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy and nonmedical prescription stimulant, analgesic, and tranquilizer use). Questions about energy drinks and other caffeinated products were added in the sophomore year. Eighty-five percent (n=1,060) participated in all three interviews. One in four students currently consumed energy drinks (24.1%_wt). Compared with non-users, energy-drink-users were disproportionately male, drank alcohol more frequently, and used more illicit drugs in the past year. Separate logistic regression models examined the prospective relationships between energy drink use in the sophomore year and use of eight different types of drugs in the junior year. Energy drink use significantly predicted nonmedical prescription stimulant use in the subsequent year (OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.4-3.1), but no other types of illicit drugs, holding constant demographics, caffeine consumption, and prior use of the drug of interest. In summary, energy drink use is associated with AOD use cross-sectionally, and appears to have a unique prospective relationship with nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. Given the widespread accessibility of energy drinks, future research should focus on the public health aspects of this growing phenomenon.