Kids Have a New Way to Get Their Caffeine Fix

Coffee, energy drinks, and soda aren't the only ways young people are getting their caffeine fix these days. Caffeine pouches—small packets placed in the mouth between the lip and gum, with the caffeine absorbed into the mouth tissues—are marketed as a portable, discreet way to boost energy and focus, catching the attention of health experts, school officials, and parents, per the AP. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases alertness, energy, and brain activity and can be safe for most healthy people in moderate amounts (the FDA sets that level at 400mg daily). Health experts warn, however, that consuming too much caffeine can cause serious side effects, including increased heart rate, especially in kids and teens. Some of the caffeine pouches contain as much as 200mg of caffeine, or about the amount in two cups of coffee, per the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The pouches don't require spitting, are sold in multiple flavors, and can be used fairly discreetly. They're sometimes referred to on social media as "lip pillows," "lip cushies," and "upper deckies" or "lower deckies," depending on where they're placed in the mouth. Some health officials worry they can be mistaken by young consumers for candy or gum. There's no federal minimum purchase age for caffeine pouches, but school districts in New York, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Missouri have included caffeine pouches in student conduct policies or prohibited their use on campus. Meanwhile, consumer trade groups and caffeine pouch makers, including ALP, have declined to comment. More here.