Look at fast-food joints, convenience stores and restaurants, where many kids get up to 40 percent of their meals. And four of the five most popular soft drinks in the United States are caffeinated, with number-four Sprite the sole exception. The top drinkers, teen boys, pop open an average of three sodas a day. And check out the local coffee shop. For tons of teens, and kids as young as elementary school, the local Starbucks or its equivalent has become the favored hangout.
Many juvenile customers scorn decaf in the sugary coffee drinks they prefer.
One likely reason is that most parents are unaware of the health problems associated with caffeine. Kids' desire to get wired didn't simply occur as a mass switch in personal preference. The major caffeine suppliers to kids have been throwing millions into advertising and giveaways. And the soda barons have used dozens of other sly marketing ploys, such as plastering ads and logos on everything from free textbook covers to computer screensavers and mousepads. Children have few places left to look where they are not exposed to a soft-drink product or logo.