Warning Labels May be Placed on Caffeinated Drinks

Sacramento, CA (AHN) - Artificially-caffeinated drinks such as sodas and energy drinks may soon receive health warning labels, a possible result of the state advisory board's recommendation of a close study of the drinks' effects on people's health.

According to reports, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment announced on Monday that it is considering placing warning labels on the mentioned drinks should the study find that caffeine is actually a harmful substance.

The potential act would be in adherence to a California law that mandates an update on the list of harmful chemicals each year, under Proposition 65. It also orders the labeling of the identified chemicals as potentially dangerous, according to News10.com

A study was done on the effects of caffeine on pregnant woman, with state toxicologists saying that the findings were "overwhelming."

"The majority of studies reported adverse outcomes, such as spontaneous abortions, decreased fetal growth and birth weight," informed Farla Kaufman, Ph.D, as quoted by ABC News.

Should labels be issued, it was revealed that it would only be placed on artificially-caffeinated drinks, and not those in which caffeine is naturally present, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate.

The proposition, however, did not bode well with some, who claim that the relation between caffeine and a risky pregnancy is "not conclusive."

Gary Roberts of the American Beverage Association commented, "To provide a Prop 65 warning would communicate to women that moderate amounts of caffeine is not safe...And the consistent message from healthcare providers is that moderate amounts of caffeine is safe."

Regular caffeine drinkers also did not approve of the proposition, as they said that it would not have any effects on the amount of consumption.

"You put too many of these warning signs around and then people start to ignore it," commented Mark Matranga. "Like they cried wolf too many times."