Wired: Caffeine Dependency

Why is it that caffeine is so rarely viewed as a drug? Is it because it's legal and socially acceptable? Is it because java junkies seem so energetic and driven? Are schools unconcerned with videos or books on the topic because schools are addicted to soft drink vending machine income? This lucid tape looks at several of these factors, including the targeting of the teen market and the health effects of caffeine on children's and teens' bodies. Is Little Brother really hyperactive, or could it be the 12-ounce soda in his 60-pound body has dosed him with the equivalent of 8 cups of coffee in a 175-pound adult? Caffeine also leaches calcium and magnesium from bones at a time when young people need those vital nutrients the most. Sure, it's not cocaine or meth or heroin, but this informative program makes a strong case for caffeine posing nutritional dangers to young people. Highly recommended. Aud: I, J, H. (R. Reagan)