# Why is putting an aspirin in your drink a big deal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146 "2003-05-09T16:55:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/1 "2003-05-09T16:55:23Z")
I was watching “Grease” the movie the other day and the scene where Marti is complaining that Vince Fontaine tried to put an aspirin in her Coke at the dance struck me as odd. What is the big deal? People take aspirin all the time for headaches, etc yet it never seems to do them any harm. Will taking an aspirin when you don’t have to make you ill? IDBB ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/2 "2003-05-09T17:00:03Z")
It was an old urban legend that aspirin mixed in Coke would get you drunk. Grease is referring to that – it had been thoroughly debunked by the time the movie came out, but it was still current in the 50s. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/3 "2003-05-09T17:01:36Z")
Well some Aspirins contain extra caffine. Maybe it would give a higher level of energy? ---
**Author:** ![Herge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Herge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Herge)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/4 "2003-05-09T17:10:05Z")
Many painkillers do contain caffeine. This increases the effectiveness of the painkilling drug. The amount of caffeine in an aspirin would not be enough to make any difference, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![mcbiggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@mcbiggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcbiggins)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/5 "2003-05-09T17:17:18Z")
Aspirin and coke might not work, but penicillin and beer is the devil’s own drink! ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/6 "2003-05-09T18:06:31Z")
The way I heard the UL was that aspirin would activate the cocaine in Coca-cola. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/7 "2003-05-09T21:02:34Z")
Just like to point out that aspirin, however harmless its reputation, is a drug, with definite physical effects, and should only be taken as directed. This is a public service annoucement, from someone whose father died of an accidental, self-administered, aspirin overdose. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/8 "2003-05-09T21:04:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*It was an old urban legend that aspirin mixed in Coke would get you drunk. Grease is referring to that – it had been thoroughly debunked by the time the movie came out, but it was still current in the 50s. \*\* Heck, it was still current in the 60s, when I was in high school. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/9 "2003-05-09T21:09:57Z")
Sounds like a cheap imitation Mickey Finn to me. ---
**Author:** ![RufusLeaking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RufusLeaking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RufusLeaking)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-putting-an-aspirin-in-your-drink-a-big-deal/174146/10 "2003-05-09T23:57:54Z")
Let’s see, apsrin reduces the protective coating in your stomach and the caffeine increases the production of acid in your stomach. Sounds like a prescription for heartburn to me. Or worse if you go to extreme.