Schools in Texas and Ohio are banning energy drinks as districts report middle and high school students consuming multiple cans a day.
A single energy drink can push a teen's caffeine intake into levels that are not recommended.
Here's what to know
The effort restricts purchases and consumption on school grounds in districts in North Dakota and Missouri as well, among others, according to Education Week.
Some schools have extended their restrictions to caffeine pouches, flavored packets tucked between the gums and the inside of the lip that can deliver up to 200 milligrams of caffeine.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children avoid all forms of caffeine, not just energy drinks. Some energy drinks contain 200 milligrams of caffeine in each can, double the Mayo Clinic's recommended daily maximum of 100 milligrams for teens.
"Energy drinks are not considered safe for children, so we can't in good conscience allow them to have them at school," an Ohio middle school said in a social media post, per Education Week.
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More background
Concentrating in class can become harder for children when excessive caffeine intake leads to an energy crash. Other possible effects include mood changes, digestive problems, difficulty sleeping, jitters, anxiousness, and a racing or uneven heartbeat.
Patricia Endsley, president-elect of the National Association of School Nurses, explained how caffeine consumption can create a difficult cycle for students.
"We really see the effects during the school day, then kids will go home and have a hard time sleeping, then feel like they need the caffeine to get through the next day, and end up in this cycle that's hard to break," Endsley said, per Education Week.
The potential health consequences are also central to a Texas family's lawsuit against Alani Nu following a 17-year-old girl's death. The family alleges that the company provided inadequate warnings about cardiac risks.
The company says the labels state the products are not recommended for children and clearly list their caffeine content.
What's being done?
Schools continue to implement measures to reduce the impact. Delaware adopted a law in September barring schools from selling energy drinks. The Wilson County school board in Tennessee also prohibited school vending machines from selling the drinks.
Enforcing the restrictions remains difficult, however, as students can carry the drinks in opaque water bottles, Endsley said. She recommends water bottle filling stations and early lessons about hydration and caffeine risks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends teaching students about excessive caffeine and having coaches and sponsors clarify how energy drinks differ from sports drinks.
Its guidance calls for offering alternatives, including milk and juice, and for adults to refrain from consuming energy drinks around children.
School nurses can also speak individually with students who report fatigue, jitters, or anxiety, Endsley said. Contacting parents may help identify a problem beyond the classroom because, as she explained, "They otherwise might be totally unaware."
Where can I learn more?
Energy drink bans are among the changes affecting students and families, from new beverage rules to strained school budgets.
• California requires chain restaurants to flag high-sugar drinks with a new warning icon.
• Northwest Indiana schools banned Stanley and Yeti water bottles after officials called them blunt objects.
• Houston-area districts faced a $68 million voucher drain as 8,100 students left public schools.
• An Ohio audit found power bills up 34% as blackout-hit FirstEnergy customers demanded relief.
• In Colorado, school bus cuts tied to diesel costs have left children late, hungry, and walking farther.
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