The Worst Caffeinated Product Award Is Announced For National Caffeine Awareness Month:

Seattle, WA, Jan 27, 2009 - The Worst Caffeinated Product Award for 2009, sponsored by the Caffeine Awareness Association, a non-profit organization, goes to a box of candy with the caffeine equivalent of 11 cans of Mountain Dew, 7.5 cans of Red Bulls or 6 cups of coffee. Crackheads 2 contains approximately 600 milligrams of caffeine. If the contents of the entire box were consumed all at once, it can pose a potential health risk, especially to children.

Marina Kushner, founder of the organization and reformed coffee drinker, stated that "Many children abuse caffeine without realizing the damage it causes to their health. And because the less they weigh the greater the effect it has. For example, a child who drinks a can of cola is equal to an adult who drinks 4 cups of coffee.”

National Caffeine Awareness Month is an annual event held in March that draws attention to the risk associated with caffeinism and caffeine withdrawal syndrome, a disorder recognized by the psychiatric community.“At 200 mg of caffeine, you can experience irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, excitement, and gastrointestinal disturbance. If you consume more than 1 gram (1000 mg), you can receive irregular heartbeats, panic and anxiety disorders, muscle twitching, incoherent speech, excessive urination, flushed skin, and depression. And, believe it or not, when you ingest more than 5 grams, the results can be fatal." said Kushner.

Kushner is also the author of two books called "The Truth About Coffee” and “The Truth About Caffeine.” The books explore coffee and caffeine’s darker side that scientist know but that the coffee and caffeine industry has tried to suppress. Her organization will be publishing a book called ‘Confessions of a Caffeine Addict – 40 True Anonymous Short Stories” which she hopes will inspire others to share their own personal struggle with caffeine dependency.

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