A drinking straw includes a tube having an upper end including a first opening, a lower end including a second opening, and an outer wall extending between the upper and lower ends. A wrapper covers the tube and a securing element permanently attaches the wrapper to the outer wall of the tube. The wrapper is adapted to be opened for exposing the first and second openings of the tube while the securing element maintains the attachment of the wrapper to the tube. The outer wall of the tube has an inner surface, whereby at least two opposing sections of the inner surface of the outer wall are joined together for forming a bifurcated opening adjacent an end of the tube. The bifurcated opening defines a total area that is smaller than the area of the opening at the opposite end of the tube.
