Panera Dead: Ready, Set, Charged Lemonade (12/11/23)

Caffeine is an incredibly addictive drug that a majority of people consume each day to function. It’s so addictive and common that people joke about their own addiction. Yet we don’t treat caffeine in the same manner as other drugs. Recently, the ‘Charged Lemonade’ drinks from Panera Bread are being blamed for two deaths due to caffeine content. These lemonades have also gone viral for their caffein content despite the massive caffeine dosage that can be found in sodas, energy drinks, and speciality tea concoctions - especially when refilled over and over. One may wonder why others have not died of the ‘Charged Lemonade’ or countless other caffeine concentrated products before the recent lawsuits - or maybe they have. Perhaps the headaches, nausea, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, tachycardia, anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, and irritability, induced by caffeine are being treated like normal conditions or blamed on other popular scapegoats. Caffeine toxicity may also be damaging relationships, causing hazardous driving conditions, etc. It’s time to have a talk about something that may be contributing to far more problems in our society than we are willing to admit.