Health Canada warns about dangers of mixing caffeine and alcohol

Health Canada has issued a warning about the dangers of mixing caffeine and alcohol.

Spokesperson Rebecca Purdy said it’s easy to get carried away when mixing the two.

“The caffeine might mask the drowsiness associated with the alcohol intake, this might increase the potential for over-consumption that can lead to alcohol poisoning, dehydration, as well as alcohol related injury or death.”

And with pot legalization coming on October 17, that risk is intensified.

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“When you mix alcohol and cannabis, it increases your level of impairment and that can lead to an even greater risk of accidents,” she said.

Purdy also warned that in Canada, it’s illegal to mix alcohol with direct caffeine.

However, it may be in flavoring ingredients like coffee.

This warning comes after a coroners report found that a Quebec man died from mixing caffeinated, alcoholic beverage Four Loko along with Smirnoff and acetaminophen pills.

Pierre Parent went into cardiac arrhythmia caused by a combination of alcohol, caffeine and chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine.