The latest trend among college students is mixing energy drinks with alcohol. The caffeine in the energy drinks masks the effects of the alcohol, making a person think he's less drunk than he actually is.

"The research, by investigators at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, found students who mix energy drinks with alcohol were twice as likely to be injured during a bout of drinking, to need medical attention or to ride with a driver who was drunk. They were also twice as likely to take advantage of someone sexually and nearly twice as likely to be taken advantage of sexually by someone else."

The new cocktail has become so popular that some companies have begun selling pre-mixed versions.

Teen alcohol and drug abuse often affects every member of a family. A private boarding school that offers a strong recovery program, like Excel Academy in Texas, can help.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, cocktails