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Co-ingestion of energy drinks with alcohol and other substances among a sample of people who regularly use ecstasy

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 16:54 authored by Amy PeacockAmy Peacock, Sindicich, N, Dunn, M, Whittaker, E, Sutherland, R, Entwistle, G, Burns, L, Raimondo BrunoRaimondo Bruno

Introduction and Aims: Despite the potential harms of mixing unregulated drugs with energy drinks (ED), research to date has primarily been focused on EDs co-ingested with alcohol. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to explore the rate of use, harms and correlates of EDs co-ingested with alcohol and other drugs among a sample of people who regularly use illicit stimulant drugs.

Design and Methods: In 2010, 693 Australians who regularly used ecstasy completed a 1-h interview about their past six-month ED and drug use.

Results: Three-quarters of the sample (77%) had recently consumed EDs with other substances, primarily alcohol (70%) and ecstasy (57%). People who consumed ED with alcohol versus those who had consumed ED with ecstasy and with alcohol (only 8% reported only consuming ED with ecstasy) had similar profiles in regards to demographics, drug use, mental health and drug-related problems. Primary motives for consuming ED with alcohol included increased alertness (59%), the taste (25%), to party for longer (23%) and to combat fatigue (16%). One-half (52%) and one-quarter (27%) of participants who consumed EDs with alcohol and with ecstasy respectively had recently experienced adverse outcomes post-consumption, primarily headaches (24% and 11%) and heart palpitations (21% and 14%).

Discussion and Conclusions: Co-ingestion of EDs with licit and illicit drugs is common among people who regularly use ecstasy and related drugs. Adverse outcomes of co-ingestion suggest that targeted education regarding negative interactive drug effects is crucial for harm reduction.

History

Publication title

Drug and Alcohol Review

Volume

35

Pagination

352-358

ISSN

0959-5236

Department/School

School of Psychological Sciences

Publisher

Carfax Publishing

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified

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