The anti-energy drink Marley’s Mellow Mood reportedly sickened middle school students in Holmdel, N.J., after they purchased the drink from their school cafeteria, the Associated Press reported.
After drinking the beverage, some students vomited while others became drowsy and lethargic. It’s still unclear how many kids fell ill.
The drinks are marketed as “natural relaxation teas and sodas” and contain ingredients such as valerian root, lemon balm, passion flower, hops, and chamomile. Most of these ingredients cause drowsiness, and lemon root in particular has been known to cause nausea and vomiting, though side effects are typically mild.
The manufacturer of Marley’s Mellow Moods warns it is “best enjoyed when you are ready to relax,” should not be mixed with alcohol, and is not intended for children. School officials and Chartwells School Dining Services, the company that stocked the cafeteria with the drinks, removed them from all schools in the area. In a statement released Monday, Chartwells said the drink was not approved for sale at any of its schools, and an on-site manager has been removed pending an investigation.
Marley Beverage Co. released a statement, saying it is “deeply saddened and concerned about the incidents reported at William R. Satz School in Holmdel, N.J. Our packaging clearly states that Marley’s Mellow Mood is not intended for consumption by children. Our company’s policy is not to sell Marley’s Mellow Mood into schools, and we have no intention of ever doing so.”
Marley’s Mellow Mood appears to be the latest in a slew of snack foods meant to calm you down, including Kush Cakes, Lulla Pies, and Lazy Cakes.
Larry’s Lazy Cake brownies, for example, were laced with valerian root, passion flower, and melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your body’s internal clock. Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned the brownie’s makers that melatonin is not an approved food additive, and the product had to be removed from stores. Now the cakes are sold under the name Mellow Munchies and do not contain melatonin.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is skeptical of the trend in “downer” drinks and snacks. “I’m a big fan of Mother Nature,” she says. “Generally, choosing whole foods over engineered ones is the best way to give your body what it needs for optimal health.”
If you need some sort of sleep aid, talk to your doctor to see if pure melatonin supplements are right for you. “Medicinal herbs are of value,” Sass explains, “but folding them into baked goods made with refined flour and sugar isn’t something I’d recommend. When used properly, melatonin works just fine on its own.”
