Are too many teenagers addicted to caffeine?

"Caffeine can have just as many effects as other drugs. Too much of it interferes with sleep and leaves you frazzled. When consumed to excess, sodas damages bones and have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes. I think one of the most interesting effects caffeine can have was shown in my seventh grade science project. I exposed flatworms to caffeine. They dissolved."
-sophomore Tony Burnetti

"Many teenagers are addicted to caffeine. Early in the morning, I see people sipping sodas for breakfast. I for once, used to be addicted to Coke and Sprite, which made me hyper all day, and I used to drink at least three cans a day. If I couldn't drink any, I got grumpy for some reason."
-sophomore Perry Kamelo

"Too many teenagers are addicted to caffeine. Young people today drink too much coffee and too much soda. It's partly responsible for the rise in poor dental health and diabetes."
-sophomore Tasha Prados

"I know tons of people who stop by Starbucks in the morning to get their "fix" or else they complain the whole day about how they're tired. I think it has to do with teenagers being worn out from studying, doing sports or participating in another activity. Caffeine gives them a burst of energy they later cannot function without. The school system is to blame for the addiction for overworking the students."
-sophomore Jung Han

"Yes, I believe teenagers are addicted to caffeine. I believe a lot of teens take caffeine to relax themselves. Teens have a very busy life so when they are tired they take coffee which has caffeine in it. Another way teens take caffeine is through soda - it's a fashion to drink soda. I have to admit even I take caffeine, through coffee, tea or soda."
-sophomore Nilam Hussain

"In my opinion, I think 95% or more of the teens in the U.S. are addicted to caffeine. In that case it could possibly be the ads they show on billboards, magazines and especially television commercials. Caffeine is not only in sodas but also in coffee too. Most teens drink caffeine because it tastes good, and it's a very popular product to buy. Just like smoking a cigarette; if you try it once, chances are you're going to try it again and again. Just like caffeine, it will always be available to teens in vending machines and in stores everywhere. That is why teens are so addicted to caffeine in the U.S."
-freshman Cayanne Hernandez

"I think too many teenagers are addicted to caffeine. If you look around the school, it seems that everyone (or almost everyone) has a bottle of soda. Also, some of my friends said that they 'drink a six-pack every day.' Normally, people shouldn't drink that much soda (a six-pack packs on 9 cups of liquid and about 1000 calories), but if they're addicted, then they might want to drink more because their body needs the caffeine to feel good."
-sophomore Cyril Lan

"I feel that too many teenagers are addicted to caffeine, because school starts too early and the homework load is humongous. In middle school, I woke up at 7:00 a.m. and left the house around 7:20 a.m. Now, I wake up at 5:45 and leave the house at 6:05 a.m. Waking up early leaves everyone to scrounge around for something to get them through the day. I eat a sweet cereal bar every morning and some of my friends have resorted to caffeine. Coke, Pepsi, coffee (or anything else sold at Starbucks or various bookstores) are what they drink. The caffeine isn't only addictive, it helps them through the day, and it keeps them up. No offense to any teachers, but sitting through an hour and a half of class everyday could easily put anyone to sleep. I drink soda while I do my homework just so that I won't fall asleep while pondering tedious questions. In conclusion, yes, I do think that too many teenagers are addicted to caffeine, but because school (especially high school) starts so early and we have too much homework."
-freshman Ariel La

"I don't consider caffeine an addicting drug. The only times that I remember drinking soda for the purpose of staying awake were a few days last school year near the end of the year. I could force down 3 cans down during the night to stay awake, but I'd never crave soda. I stopped drinking soda on a daily basis, for about a month now, and I have had no cravings for caffeine. I don't think teenagers are addicted to caffeine."
-sophomore Pragun Vohra

"I do think teenagers are addicted to caffeine because these days there is a lot of studying to do, they need to stay awake so they drink coffee or soda. I always see kids going to Starbucks."
-senior Jeana Lamour

"Yes. This is because too many teenagers are expected to be awake before dawn. If you complain about the problem you must attack the cause. Since, as we all know, teenagers are inherently bad, and unconcerned with their own health and well-being, the only solution is to launch a mass propaganda campaign persuading teenagers to wake up at a healthier time, and 'just say no' to caffeine."
-sophomore Brian Lawrence