Energy in a Bottle

Boasting loud names and plenty of caffeine, these cold drinks are red hot

After a late night, New York City college student Dave Hearns and his friends don't count on coffee for a quick perk-up the next morning. Instead they slurp cans of energy drinks like New York Minute, a caffeine-infused beverage that smacks of sweet cherries. "I don't like the taste of coffee," says Hearns. "This wakes me up more." He says this even though New York Minute, like most energy drinks, contains up to a third less caffeine than a cup of coffee.

Hearns and his friends are not alone: a 2001 survey found that 22% of college students were buying energy...

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