It is doubtful that caffeine is among the most popular stimulant drugs in the world. Uddin et al. (2017) state that “caffeine is a CNS and metabolic stimulant and is utilized both recreationally and medically to diminish physical exhaustion and reestablish mental alertness.” (p. 1). Nowadays, the rates of caffeine consumption rise at the fastest recorded levels (Jain et al., 2017). Coffee, amongst other products, contains one of the highest doses of caffeine per ml (Uddin et al., 2017). The thesis of this paper is that scientists need to reclassify caffeine as a potentially addictive stimulant drug.
I believe that it is vital to reclassify this drug due to the recent discoveries from multiple sources. As the popularity of this drug is on the rise While it does bring several positives to a human organism when consumed in small or medium doses, it also bears a moderate potential to cause addictive behavior in some people (Jain et al., 2017). Since the caffeine is not anyhow regulated and legal for consumption at any age, it is possible to misjudge the dosage and take an inappropriate amount, causing prominent side effects (Uddin et al., 2017). These effects include insomnia, high blood pressure, and illnesses related to the central nervous system (Uddin et al., 2017). Prolonged abuse of caffeine can cause severe mental disorders, such as anxiety and manic disorders (Uddin et al., 2017).
In conclusion, the recent discoveries on the addictive qualities of caffeine call for its reclassification. In addition to the potential to cause addictive behavior, caffeine can have an adverse effect on the central nervous system, cause mental disorders, and is not recommended to use for people with coronary diseases. Therefore, it is vital to provide consumers with a thorough description of adverse effects and put a limit on selling products that contain high doses of caffeine.
References
Jain, S., Srivastava, A. S., Verma, R. P., & Maggu, G. (2017). Caffeine addiction: Need for awareness and research and regulatory measures. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 41, 73-75. Web.
Uddin, M. S., Abu Sufian, M., Hossain, M. F., Kabir, M. T., Islam, M. T., Rahman, M. M., & Rafe, M. R. (2017). Neuropsychological effects of caffeine: Is caffeine addictive?Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy, 7(2). Web.