Colorado high school bans energy drink

Some students said it made them sick and shaky and caused their hearts to race.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
energy drink 88 (photo credit: )
energy drink 88
(photo credit: )
A high school banned a caffeine-packed energy drink and 7-Eleven pulled it from Colorado stores after some students said it made them sick and shaky and caused their hearts to race. About a half-dozen students became sick in the last two weeks and two were hospitalized after drinking Spike Shooter, made by Biotest Laboratories LLC. All recovered within hours, said Dennis Vigil, assistant principal at Doherty High School in Colorado Springs. A warning on the can says the drink isn't meant for anyone under 18, said Biotest spokesman Tom DeNardin. The drink contains roughly the same amount of caffeine as two to three five-ounce cups of coffee. "It's not targeted at all toward high school (students)," DeNardin said. "That is not what the intent was." 7-Eleven Inc. pulled the drink from all 222 of its company-owned stores in Colorado after the school asked nearby stores to limit sales to students, spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said. The corporation had never recommended Spike Shooter to its stores and it was not distributed by the company's approved suppliers, she said. "Because of the concern about the reaction with the kids, and because it was not a recommended product, we told all the stores to take it off the shelves," Chabris said. A company Web site says Spike Shooter contains 300 milligrams of caffeine per 8.4 ounces. By comparison, a five-ounce cup of coffee contains on average 80 to 115 milligrams of caffeine, according to the London-based International Coffee Organization. The Web site carries a warning suggesting consumers "Begin use with one-half can to determine tolerance." At the top of the cans a warning says consumers should "Read label before drinking." The Web site says Spike Shooter should not be consumed by people taking certain other medications or if they have high blood pressure or a number of other conditions. It adds, "Keep out of reach of children."