Too much Coca-Cola killed mother: coroner

Drinking too much Coke killed mother of eight Natasha Harris, a New Zealand coroner has found.
Ms Harris drank up to 10 litres of Coke every day – equal to more than twice the recommended safe daily limit of caffeine and almost 1 kilogram of sugar.
She died aged 30, on February 25, 2010, from a cardiac arrest. Her partner, Christopher Hodgkinson, found her seated on the toilet, slumped against the wall and gasping for air.
Coca-Cola has argued that the huge quantities of Coke drunk daily by Ms Harris day could not be proven to have contributed to her death.
But in findings released on Tuesday, New Zealand coroner David Crerar said Ms Harris would not have died if it wasn’t for her dependence on Coke.
‘‘I found that, when all of the available evidence is considered, were it not for the consumption of very large quantities of Coke by Natasha Harris, it is unlikely that she would have died when she died and how she died.’’
In the months leading up to her death her health had deteriorated, Mr Hodgkinson said.
‘‘She had no energy and was feeling sick all the time ... She would get up and vomit in the morning.’’
He said her Coke habit had become an addiction: ‘‘She would get moody and get headaches if she didn’t have any Coke and also feel low in energy.’’
Mr Hodgkinson’s mother Vivian said Mr Harris got ‘‘withdrawal symptoms’’ if her Coke ran out, including getting ‘‘the shakes’’ and becoming angry.
The family did not consider Coke was harmful because its labels do not contain warning signs.
The coronial decision revealed Ms Harris likely suffered from a myriad of medical conditions, including a racing heart and ‘‘absent teeth’’, which her family say had rotted out from Coke consumption.

Read more: [link to www.smh.com.au]

Last Edited by smilesun on 02/12/2013 04:49 AM