Energy Drinks And Caffeine Craze Comes At A Cost For Impoverished Afghans

Alcohol is outlawed in Afghanistan but caffeine-rich energy drinks are consumed by all.

A production line in a warehouse in western Afghanistan churns out 24 energy drinks every second, feeding a thirst for the tonic used to mask life's hardships and lift wilting spirits.

The Taliban government has purged many signs of Western influence but a stimulant drink craze that arrived with US soldiers remains, and has even sprouted a thriving domestic industry.

Alcohol is outlawed in Afghanistan but caffeine-rich energy drinks are consumed by all, from secret police to children, and advertised on billboards more than even Taliban state propaganda.