UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LA SALLE
BACOLOD CITY

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES













ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE READING NO. 2 (MIDTERM)

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in the course General Science III








Submitted by:

TOLENTINO, Jim Austin M.
ABCO2 – A






Submitted to:

DR. JESSICA VILLAROSA
GenSci3


SUMMARY
In order to prevent the spread of addiction and the negative effects of alcohol and caffeine use, the Food and Drugs Administration has cautioned manufacturers against the addition of caffeine to alcoholic beverages. Studies show that addiction to such drinks prevail in college students by as much as 26 percent, hindering daily activities of learning and studying.
Unless a substance can be considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe), excluding caffeine in alcoholic drinks, it will be, of course deemed unsafe by the Food and Drug Administration. As of now, the FDA has only approved the addition of caffeine in soft drinks with only 200 ppm. Any alcoholic beverage with caffeine is not approved.
The FDA has issued memoranda on manufacturers to present their rationale on the presence of caffeine in their non-soft drink products. Otherwise, their products will be removed from the marketplace. Two alcoholic beverage manufacturers have already complied with the said enforcement namely Anheuser-Busch and Miller and Tilt and Bud Extra and Sparks in the past year.
It was with a letter from 18 attorney generals and one city general that the FDA found about this growing concern of local healthcare officers, most especially on the welfare of college students.


REACTION
Alcohol had been a constant presence in the culture of the world. It is associated with fulfillment, merry-making, achievements and goodwill. But it had always presented negative sides like its main effect which is intoxication and logical incapacity while under the influence. It is, of course, resolved with the enforcement of moderate drinking. Whenever there is moderation, drinking, or whatever substance intake is OK.
Now comes the inclusion of caffeine in alcoholic beverages. Alcohol in itself influences the mind, making it go fuzzy, but caffeine is a known stimulant, like that of coffee. Now that’s a totally different story. Here comes again man’s tendency to try and justify his actions, not by stopping that which he does, but by offering a twisted, if not another wrong decision. Such is the addition of caffeine in alcoholic beverage, which of course, will defy the original purpose of alcohol which deteriorates the functioning with a stimulant like caffeine.
We should take note that while students enjoy alcohol as it can deviate themselves from the pressure of study from time to time, coffee is more patronized by working individuals who need more waking time and energy to go with their work. It can seldom go around, but it is more commonly this way. Now, the addition of caffeine into alcoholic beverages will make more ways into which college students and working people intoxicate themselves with substances, deviating from the traditional ways of keeping up with man’s demands. It’s a good thing the FDA started making up for man’s recklessness by regulating the sale of caffeinated alcoholic beverages. It doesn’t even sound good in itself anyway.
REFERENCE
Herndon, M. (2009, November 30). FDA To Look Into Safety of Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages
Agency Sends Letters to Nearly 30 Manufacturers. Retrieved January 4, 2010, from US Food and Drug Administration website: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2009/ucm190427.htm