The rise in popularity of energy drinks and specialty coffees has made today’s drink consumers more caffeinated than previous generations.
“Caffeine can become a crutch in the same way that alcohol or drugs [were]. It’s important to recognize when caffeine use becomes excessive or compulsive,” says Bateman. McDowell adds it is a good idea for people in recovery to share how caffeine can affect them. “People may [get] ‘caffeine headaches’ just from missing a daily cup of coffee. Some don’t understand the effects until hearing that other people are going through the same thing. That can be good information about caffeine addiction,” says McDowell. He adds that finding a new, healthy outlet during recovery is important. “Many people in recovery have done severe damage to [their] body, [including] internal damage…to the stomach, liver and kidneys. An overreliance on caffeine to sustain sobriety could lead to insomnia. People in recovery need rest” to support the healing process, says McDowell. Teaching about caffeine consumption Children often gain an understanding of caffeine and its effects by observing family members and friends consume caffeinated foods and beverages. It can be a concern if parents give caffeinated
products to their children, especially without teaching them about the risks. Children have less caffeine tolerance than adults. Caffeine can disrupt sleep and cause children to suffer hyperactivity or anxiety, says Bateman. The California Department of Education’s Health Education Framework provides district and school policies and programs which can teach children about the effects of caffeine. It even suggests a “Think Before You Drink” lesson in which students research the sugar, calorie, fat and caffeine content of beverages they typically consume. Still, North Bay classroom lessons relating to health education vary considerably. In Napa County, one of the ways that students may learn about caffeine is through police officer-led classroom lessons outlined by Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), a national nonprofit dedicated to substance abuse prevention training. The Napa County Sheriff’s Office, the Calistoga Police Department, the St. Helena Police Department and American Canyon Police Department have DARE programs. DARE teaches that the definition of a drug is “any substance
February 2025
NorthBaybiz 59
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