Should students be allowed to have energy drinks in school? According to a poll on the Holbrook Hub website, most students Holbrook Middle-High School students say yes. 64% of voters said yes, 22% said no, and 14% said maybe.   

Katelin Andrews, a senior at HMHS, says that you should be able to bring whatever drink you want to school, as long as it’s appropriate for teenagers. Her favorite type of energy drinks are Marylou’s ’s Red Bulls.    

Molly Lydon, a 7th grader, disagrees with many of the students and thinks that energy drinks shouldn’t be allowed. She believes that they can be toxic and affect your body for the worse.

Mrs. Stevenson, principal of HMHS, believes that energy drinks should not be allowed in school because of all the dangerous chemicals they contain. She adds that these drinks can be very addictive. While there is limited research on this, according to a 2017 study in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, energy drink consumption is also “associated with past 30-day alcohol, cigarette, and illicit drug use.”

As the school nurse, Mrs. Froio wants students to know that there are other ways for students to feel more energized. She says, “healthy alternatives to energy drinks [are] water, eating well, and having a good night sleep.”

Unfortunately, achieving a full night of rest can be difficult when students are faced with homework, extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities.

Mr. Killinger, a health teacher, agrees that energy drinks should not be allowed in HMHS, noting the negative effects they can have on students’ bodies. He says, “The drinks are loaded with caffeine that can raise the student’s blood pressure [and] heart rates, leading to obesity and other medical problems.”