Readers' Letters: Have ourselves a caffeine-free little Christmas?

People are generally aware of the effect caffeine has on some of us – the pleasant uplifting effect which is offset by the insomnia which follows later.

Do you take for granted any negative effects caffeine has on you?

The ready availability of decaffeinated coffee and tea in supermarkets and cafes is an indicator of the caution many people feel about consuming too much caffeine. A sleepless night can leave you feeling tired and irritable the next day. Chronic sleeplessness represents a serious threat to your health. But insomnia is not the only negative effect. Caffeine is a stimulant which drives up the heart rate, so people suffering from high blood pressure and/or heart problems need to be particularly careful regarding how much they consume.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) lays down regulations regarding caffeine content. It rules that any drink containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre must be labelled: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women.” You will often see this warning on so-called energy drinks. Drinks that contain substantial amounts of caffeine but keep under the 150mg limit do not have to declare their caffeine content at all.

Is caffeine addictive? Obviously the craving and dependency which develop over time are much less than with drug addictions. However, such effects are long-established since many of us begin our relationship with caffeine in childhood, in fizzy drinks, as well as in tea and coffee. In some cases people develop a caffeine habit based on a particular brand of fizzy drink which they consume daily. It is hard to say if they enjoy or need it, but the fizzy drink manufacturers are guaranteed loyal customers.

Given the physical and psychological effects caffeine has, there is a pressing need for more information to be made available to the general public. The labelling which the FSA requires in extreme cases should be applied across the board. Caffeine turns up in places where you might not expect it – in beer, chocolate, desserts etc. With beer, for example, we expect to be told the alcohol content, but nothing is said about the caffeine content. There are many kinds of food and drink which contain caffeine. People have a right to know which ones they are and how much they contain.

This is a matter which concerns every one of us, all the way from childhood into old age, and the reforms needed would benefit us all.

Les Reid, Edinburgh

Prison scandal

The latest report on Scottish prisons show that we have over 25 per cent of prisoners on remand awaiting trial, which places Scottish prisons as the worst in Europe for holding prisoners, adding to the overcrowding problems.

This is yet another unenviable record for the SNP administration which, added to their many failures, reflects on their total inability to govern Scotland.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Bucksburn, Aberdeen

Trans supporting

As a gay man, the LGB Alliance advert certainly does not speak for me (11 December, page 15).

Nor does it speak for LGBT groups around Scotland who run support services, social gatherings and campaigns. They know that it is absurd to claim that simplifying the process for a trans person updating their birth certificate will affect such activities in any way.

The fact is the vast majority of LGB people across Scotland support their trans siblings, and support this bill.

Tim Hopkins, Equality Network, Edinburgh

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