THE marketing is brilliant: how to appeal to the young.

High-energy drinks 'give you wings'.

Combine this slogan with sponsorship of high-energy sports such as motor racing and stunt flying and you have a best seller, but do these high-energy drinks really give you wings? And is a high-energy drink really the best way to stay awake? And is it dangerous when combined with alcohol in Buckfast Tonic Wine?

There are more than 200 different energy drinks available in 140 countries. Nearly a third of 12 to 17 year olds admit to regular use.

The main 'drug' in these drinks is caffeine.

Before being too critical it is better than other stimulants such as amphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine.

Most of these drinks contain around 80mgs of caffeine, but some may have as much as 300mgs.

A cup of percolated coffee contains around 90mgs and so is slightly stronger than most energy drinks.

But are they safe? Caffeine is a potentially addictive drug.

It is the only mind-altering drug which can legally be given to children in the UK.

The 'stimulant drinks committee' has suggested cans should contain a warning that they should not be given to under 16s.

Concern in other countries has led to a ban in Denmark and a restriction to the over 15s in Sweden.

In Norway they are only available in pharmacies. Some schools in the UK have also banned them.

Caffeine is a stimulant. It acts on the part of the brain which gives the pleasant feeling we get when we receive a reward.

If taken regularly this can lead to an increased desire to drink caffeine to repeat the feeling.

If the caffeine is taken with sugar children will associate sugary drinks with the pleasant feeling of being rewarded. In the long run this could lead to obesity.

Evidence is increasing that children who have regular high-energy drinks can become dependent. They are also associated with hyperactivity and disruptive behaviour in children.

In moderate doses for adults, caffeine improves performance and concentration. However if anyone takes too much it causes anxiety, poor sleep, agitation, headaches and, eventually, an irregular heart.

This creates problems for students revising for exams. The exam is next week and there's the whole syllabus to read.

He drinks coffee and high-energy drinks to revise through the night. This produces a headache, palpitations and more anxiety.

The excess caffeine means he can't sleep and becomes even more anxious. The nights become longer and he does not get to bed until he finally arrives at the exam. He is completely shattered and fails. In adolescent children the brain is developing rapidly. It needs sleep and good nutrition. It does not need chemical stimulation.

Is caffeine more dangerous when combined with alcohol? We don't know. Both drugs cause problems in excess, but there is little research on the combination.

The Strathclyde Police blame Buckfast Tonic Wine with its combination of alcohol and caffeine for violence. They may be right. We don't know.

Even high-energy drinks alone send out the wrong message. The best drink for kids does not contain any calories, sweetener or E numbers.

It is also completely free and available in every house from a tap. It is called water.

For anyone who is tired from working or playing all hours you do not need to take anything, whether a drink or a drug.

There is a fantastic, and free, treatment for tiredness. It is called sleep.