Skittling

From Drug Rehab Wiki

Skittling is a slang word that can refer to eating a candy called Skittles along with an energy drink, that is, a drink with high levels of caffeine.

Skittling also can mean taking cold remedies in small pills that look like Skittles candy in order to get high.

"Energy drinks" first appeared in Europe about 20 years ago, and have since become a multi- billion dollar a year business, with most drinks sold to people under 30 years old. Popular brands are Rock Star, Red Bull, Full Throttle, and Monster Energy. They come in cans similar to soda cans, and contain sugar, caffeine, amino acids, B vitamins, and herbs like guarana and ginseng. In a recent issue of the journal published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, physicians warned parents about allowing their children to have too much caffeine, which is linked to heart problems, anxiety, insomnia, and irritability. Each energy drink usually has 80 to 160 milligrams of caffeine, or one to two times the amount in a cup of coffee.

Eating candy along with an energy drink is not particularly dangerous. What is dangerous is to mix energy drinks with alcohol, a common practice on college campuses. The combination of a stimulant (caffeine) with a depressant (alcohol) could cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures, according to a researcher from Ball State University.

On the other hand, "skittling" or eating pills meant for colds and flu is dangerous to your health. The ingredient that makes you feel euphoria and relaxed is a cough suppressant called dextromethorphan. The ingredients that can endanger your health are the pain relievers in these medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Taking them in amounts above medical recommended levels can damage vital organs such as the liver and kidneys. Dextromethorphan is a mild narcotic drug related to morphine.