My kid uses the black market in high school to score Prime drinks and Red Bull

"What concerns me most about the situation is that the teens are buying and consuming seemingly safe things without being properly informed," the Sydney mum exclusively writes for Kidspot.

Just because things are banned in Aussie school canteens, doesn't mean our kids aren't able to access them while getting an education at the same time.

According to my son, who's 15 and in Year 10 at a public Sydney high school, there's a black market he can buy things from, every day - at recess and lunch.

No, it's not from some random young adult distributing at the school gate. It's happening on school property, and being sold by students to their peers.

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The high school black market in Sydney schools

During the summer term at the beginning of the year, I'd ask my kid what he bought from the canteen during the day, because that's what mums do.

Being a fairly honest kid, he'd tell me he'd had an Icy Pole or a Coke, because a Year 11 student was bringing an esky to school and charging $3 bucks for things that the canteen stopped stocking years ago.

I was kind of impressed with the kid's gumption and entrepreneurial spirit, so I didn't think too much of it.

Until... my son came home the next term and told me that he'd taken cash to buy a vape in the Year 10 bathrooms. Apparently, he'd given into peer pressure, even though he knew it was illegal - both the selling and the purchasing.

And then, yes, it all came out about what exactly the high school black market was offering.

It's been sitting on my conscience ever since.

School's not always as innocent as it seems. Image: iStock

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Red Bulls and Prime Hydration drinks

Of course, we all know that some schools have an illicit drug problem, or cigarettes are exchanged or sold. It happened back in our day, and nothing's really changed. 

But what concerns me about my son's high school black market is that the kids are buying and consuming seemingly safe things without being properly informed.

Vapes would be obvious to most kids as a complete no-no. But what about other things? Things that are not as PG as Icy Poles and Coca-Cola?

Things like Prime Hydration drinks, and Red Bull? 

Sure, not illegal, but not the kind substance many parents would want their kids to have access to on a daily basis.

Or at all. 

Because the school black market isn't just for seniors; it's made available to kids in Years 7, 8 and 9 - some of whom aren't even teens yet. I'm not OK with my 15-year-old putting that crap into his body, so I can only imagine how parents with younger kids might feel.

What's the big deal?

Despite being caffeine free, Prime Hydration isn't suitable for children under the age of 15, likely due to the range of additives including amino acids.

And we all know that sugary drinks in general aren't recommended for growing bodies, as they increase the risk of future excess weight gain, dental cavities, heart disease, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.

In terms of energy drinks such as Red Bull, complications can include: dehydration, heart issues, anxiety, insomnia and addiction.

I don't know about you, but it's clear to me that these non-illegal, freely available, drinks are not intended for children of school age.

With Summer terms coming up very soon, my kid tells me the rumour is the black market - including Red Bull and Prime - will be ramping up again.

I think parents and schools need to know this. So ask your kids, and ensure your school is aware - because I sure have.

For information on fluids/drinks for children, visit the Raising Children Network website.

Originally published as My kid uses the black market in high school to score Prime drinks and Red Bull