Should caffeine have a legal age?

Dylan Backer | Writer & Photographer

September 23, 2022

Caffeine is one of the most commonly used central nervous system stimulants, commonly found in coffee, teas, sodas, and energy drinks. Caffeine has a plethora of health benefits which include enhanced energy, improved mood, increased levels of concentration, lower risk for heart disease, and more.

While caffeine comes with many benefits, there are some downsides including insomnia, dehydration, and in some cases, dependency. Along with those concerns, people also fear that it stunts growth – a myth sparked from the belief that caffeine causes osteoporosis. Further research demonstrated a negative correlation between drinking coffee and drinking milk, hence lower levels of calcium and increasing the risk for osteoporosis.

Social media has popularized the consumption of drinks containing high levels of caffeine, and influencers within the past few years have been paid to promote energy drinks targeting their impressionable audiences. This begs the question: should there be a legal age to consume caffeine?

The FDA considers under 100mg generally safe to consume for kids between the ages of twelve to eighteen. To put it in perspective, that’s around one cup of coffee. For adults, the FDA considers up to 400mg safe for daily consumption.

When consuming any substance, it will last in your body for a certain period of time. This is considered its half-life. Caffeine has a half-life of around five hours, and people can experience insomnia from caffeine if consistently taken too close to bedtime. However, if taken earlier in the day, you can avoid any sleep deprivation altogether.

“Caffiene provides me with energy and focus,” responded junior Klaus Asay when asked if he felt caffeine was beneficial to him. However, senior Cooper Manolovitz responded, “Not really… I used to drink it a lot,” showing that some students benefit while others less so.

You can become dependent on caffeine if you take it daily, resulting in withdrawal symptoms such as headaches if not consumed. This can easily be avoided, though, by only consuming caffeine a couple of times throughout the week. 

To sum it up, caffeine is relatively safe for kids to consume. As long as kids stay within the safe range, there are no harmful effects. Additionally, with caffeine and most other substances, it’s best used in moderation.