Side Effects Include: Death

As I sat and researched for the Drank/ Sippin Syrup story (see immediately below), I was really shocked/enraged/ offended at how products are being marketed in the African American community. Not just the makers of Drank, but many companies have their sights set on us and aren’t going away without a fight.

We as a community have to be more cognizant of what we put in and on our bodies. Just because something is marketed to us does not mean that it is good for us. For example, when I researched all of the anti-energy drinks, including Drank, Sippin Syrup, iChill, Vacation in a Bottle and Blue Cow (the antithesis to Red Bull; how cute), I couldn’t believe my eyes. Drank and Sippin Syrup alone, which many people, including myself, have noticed are heavily marketed in Black and Latino communities, are two of the most dangerous ones. This being because the melatonin in these drinks is not yet approved by the FDA as safe. Even so, some store owners say that people are buying them by the droves. To add insult to injury, if you are one of the millions of people taking birth control pills or high blood pressure medicine and are wondering why your medicine has become less effective, it could be because you’ve had one too many of these “harmless” drinks.

Of course, companies could never tell you that the side effects to their products include death, because no one would buy them and their companies would fold. In my lifetime I’ve only heard one company brave enough to include in their television commercial: “Side effects include an increased rate of death.” I couldn’t believe their honesty and still can’t. (And now that I think about it, I probably only heard their commercial that once because their company folded.) But we can’t expect this from all companies. We live in a society where everyone capitalizes off of everyone else at everyone else’s expense.

Until we realize that we (under God) are ultimately responsible for our well being, this dangerous trend will continue to consume us. By not paying attention to this mere fact when it comes to the food we eat, the drinks we drink, the drugs we consume and the cosmetics we use, we are killing ourselves softly.