I don't know about that one... whyle sugary drinks are bad in general, i don't know if it is still in it's crystaline form once it exits the digestive system. There is also no hard science that sugar itself causes diabetes, or at least not Type 2 Diabetes. Rather it is either the inability of the cells to accept the Insulin, which forces the sugar into the cells to use for energy, OR, that the pancreas is no longer capable of producing enough insulin. I know athletes who are in great physical shape and have Type 1 diabetes, as well as Type 2 Diabetes(ty cobb T1, buster douglas T1, and Billie jean king T2, and sugar ray leonard T2) and i've known some morbidly obese people who don't have diabetes. All of whom eat and drink sugary foods on occasion. I drink tea with some added sugar(usually honey), but only because i take my medicine, and i do it sparingly, but to say sugar kills your veins i think is a bit excessive . so i'll just leave it at this... Anything in excess is a bad idea, and sugar is one of those things that everyone should use sparingly in their diets...