禁毒部门回应“奶茶等于准毒品”

Core Viewpoint - The Shanghai Narcotics Control Committee clarified that claims linking a certain milk tea brand to drug-like properties due to caffeine are incorrect, emphasizing that caffeine is naturally occurring and regulated within safe limits [2][17]. Group 1: Caffeine Sources and Content - Caffeine is a natural alkaloid found in tea leaves, which produce it to deter pests, with true teas (black, green, oolong, white) containing 2%-5% caffeine by dry weight, higher than coffee beans [4]. - The caffeine content in various teas (200-250ml servings) is as follows: black tea: 25-110mg (average 40-50mg), oolong tea: 12-55mg (average 30mg), green tea: 8-30mg (average 20-30mg), and white tea/Pu-erh: about 10-20mg [5]. - Common foods containing caffeine include chocolate, carbonated drinks, and energy drinks, with a 330ml can of cola containing 30-40mg and a 250ml energy drink containing 50-80mg [6][8]. Group 2: Caffeine Consumption Guidelines - The recommended safe caffeine intake is 400mg per day for healthy adults and about 175mg for individuals under 18 [9]. - For a 60kg adult, this translates to approximately 969g of liquid coffee or 1524g of liquid milk tea per day, assuming no other caffeine sources are consumed [9]. - Certain populations, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and individuals with specific health conditions, should limit caffeine intake due to potential adverse effects [11][12]. Group 3: Industry Standards and Consumer Awareness - The beverage industry is moving towards better regulation of caffeine content, with some brands already using a "red-yellow-green light" system to indicate caffeine levels [16]. - The China Tea Association plans to release a standard for freshly made tea beverages, which will require clear labeling of ingredients and caffeine content [16]. - There is a call for improved transparency in caffeine information disclosure across the beverage industry to help consumers make informed choices [16].