Consequences of Alcohol and Energy Drinks: Mix More for Danger

Abstract
Alcohol mixed with energy drinks has become a prominent social activity in the consumption trend which increases concern for potential personal and physical consequences. In account of public concern and safety for young people, the alcohol expectancy has been accessed in various studies to determine the relationship of the consumption of alcohol to the underlying issues of alcohol-related consequences. This study is focused to review the interaction between AmEDs consumption with corresponding consequences. A group of PSYC105 students (N = 963) participated in the study where they were accessed on their drinking behaviours through measures such as Modified Timeline Followback (MTLFB) and Anticipated Effects of Alcohol Scale (AEAS). Results showed no correlation between key variables of alcohol expectancies toward personal and physical consequences. This study could be beneficial to further studies to explore the behaviour of young people and the association with problems that could be initiated.

CONSEQUENCES OF ALCOHOL AND ENERGY DRINKS: MIX MORE FOR DANGER In recent studies, the consumption of energy drinks (ED) has been linked with caffeine-related research (Striley & Khan, 2014). The increase use of caffeine allows an abnormal increase of energy when abused which leads to consequences similar to ED (Kirby & Wesley, 1984). This has been seen to have a connection with the trending consequences involving alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmEDs) and series of high-risk levels of harm amongst mainly young adults (Droste et al., 2014; Kypri et al., 2005; Cronce & Larimer, 2011). Although the problematic alcohol use is incorporated with issues, there are many factors in which contributes in the psychosocial aspects such as individual's personality, drinking history, alcohol expectancy, motives of drinking, influence from peers and family or the ability to cope with stress and situations (Ham & Hope, 2003). Under these circumstances, in Kypri et al. (2005) studies, they have shown that University students have a higher chance of engaging in the misuse of alcohol which leads to risks than non-students at same age. This could lead to other unconscious risky behaviours such as unprotected sexual activity or drug use (i.e. tobacco, marijuana, ecstasy) which is a possible result of ED related consequences (Skewes et al., 2013). This leads to various attitudes in social response hence risk profiles are differentiated to allow further understanding of the effects of AmED users.
Energy drinks contains high level of caffeine, sugar, guarana, and other stimulants that tend to increase the level of energy and enhance alertness and attention. The effective marking strategies used by energy drink companies, have led to an increase in sales of energy drink in the past years. This promotion involves strategies of targeting adolescents such as giving free energy drink at events where there are an increase number of adolescents. As a result, AmED use has become a popular drinking behaviour within this age group.
Mallet et al. (2014) states that AMED users are been recognised as high-risk drinkers with increased consequences compared to non-AmED users. This is due to the purpose of reduction in alcohol intoxication allowing ED to produce a lot of energy which is similar reactions as caffeine (Droste et al., 2014). An example includes the increase in confidence allowing AmED users to engage in drink driving compared to an alcohol only user (Thombs, 2010). This demonstrates that although, for AmED users, their intoxication levels are decreased, their energy level increases compared to non-AmED users triggering the ability to do more activities, hence a higher level of risk-taking behaviour is inevitable (Brache & Stockwell, 2011).
Evidence has shown that the combination of alcohol with energy drink tend to increase the properties of