With popular coffee chains such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McCafes all near by, it is more than common to see high school students with a cup of Joe in hand.

However, some schools prohibit the act of drinking coffee and other beverages. Spilled coffees, caffeine possibly being harmful, and considered being a possible distraction are just some of the reasons why coffee, and even food in general, is not allowed in classes.

In general, there has been much debate if kids and young adults should even have coffee at all. According to kidzworld.com, coffee can make kids nervous and anxious. Even more surprisingly, coffee has actually been used as a drug in the past, “In medieval times coffee was considered a drug, and early coffee shops were pretty much illegal across Europe,” says kidzworld.com.

Other downfalls of coffee include risk for diabetes, sleep disturbances, raised cholesterol levels and many more.

Despite these disadvantages,  recent studies have discovered that 83.2% of teenagers consume caffeine regularly, according to Medical News Today.  What students lack in energy, they make up for in caffeine?

CHS Junior Julianne Sheehan says, ” Coffee keeps me awake, energized, and on task, throughout the school day. It would be great to have coffee in school.”

Known for providing great amounts of energy, coffee is best consumed between 9:30 am and 11:30 am, says factslides.com. These hours are during the school day, therefore students will be able to perform better academically.

According to caffeineinformer, coffee reduces suicide risk and depression. The National Institute of Mental Health showed that 18-25 year olds are the age group to have the most depressive episodes. With 18 year old students and younger teen students dealing with a significant amount of stress at school or even at home, coffee is a possible remedy to lessen the pain.

In addition, coffee lowers risks of several diseases including; Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, melanoma, heart disease, and even more.

Overall, there might be some spills if students are allowed to drink coffee during the school day, however, the facts prove that students could perform more efficiently when it comes to academics all while preventing other diseases.