On Emirati student says he turns to energy drinks to keep him alert while driving home at night or when doing an all-nighter before an exam.
Hussain, whose name has been changed on request, also said he has experienced side-effects from the drinks.
"The side-effects include a sudden headache and crash that makes me want to go to bed. Once I go to bed, it’s hard to sleep and that throws off my sleep schedule for a couple of days," said the 21-year-old.
"I do not have energy drinks every day. I only drink it if I am tired and I need to stay awake, like when I am driving back at night or studying for an exam. It gives me the energy to do what I need to do.
"In the UAE, a lot of my friends consume energy drinks for no reason, just because they want to. Young people are attracted to them for a lot of reasons. They use it to help them study as it acts as a stimulant. Some young people have energy drinks in school to look cool in front of their friends."
The UAE recently doubled the prices of sugary drinks and Hussain thinks it will have an impact.
"I do believe this will have an impact on the consumption by young people, as it will reduce the amount they can purchase. Young people don’t have income and take money from their parents, thus they would be restricted in the amount they can buy," he said.
"For me, energy drinks don’t enhance my physical or mental abilities to do more than what I do now. Energy drinks to me are nothing but a stimulant that keeps you alert for longer.”
