TY - JOUR
PY - 2015//
TI - Co-ingestion of energy drinks with alcohol and other substances among a sample of people who regularly use ecstasy
JO - Drug and alcohol review
A1 - Peacock, Amy
A1 - Sindicich, Natasha
A1 - Dunn, Matthew
A1 - Whittaker, Elizabeth
A1 - Sutherland, Rachel
A1 - Entwistle, Gavin
A1 - Burns, Lucinda
A1 - Bruno, Raimondo
SP - 352
EP - 358
VL - 35
IS - 3
N2 - 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. [Peacock A, Sindicich N, Dunn M, Whittaker E, Sutherland R, Entwistle G, Burns L, Bruno R. Co-Ingestion of Energy Drinks with Alcohol and Other Substances among a Sample of People Who Regularly Use Ecstasy. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015].
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0959-5236 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dar.12343 ID - ref1 ER -