Energy drinks peril

Senator wants ban on children buying highly caffeinated, sugary beverages

CAMPAIGNERS want the Government to follow the UK’s planned ban on children buying so-called energy drinks.

The British government has started a consultation process to banning sales of drinks containing 150mg of caffeine per litre or more to people under 16 or 18.

In March, Fine Gael’s Catherine Noone had urged the Government here to ban such sales and is again urging ministers to act.

Senator Noone said: ‘Highly caffeinated, sugary... energy drinks are not only fuelling hyperactivity, headaches and obesity but there have been a number of scenarios... where teens have suffered heart failure following excessive consumption of these style drinks.

‘Some of these drinks contain the same amount of caffeine as up to three cups of coffee and contain 60% more calories.

‘One in four Irish young people are now considered overweight or obese but the main issue of concern is that these beverages could easily lead to severe cardiovascular events in young and older individuals who have underlying silent cardiovascular disease.’

Under UK plans, the sale of highly caffeinated sugary drinks such as Red Bull and Monster will be prohibited up to the age of 18.

Shops that ignore the proposed ban would face a fine of up to £2,500 (€2,785). British ministers are considering banning such sales at vending machines, too.

Already some retailers in the UK have voluntarily stopped the sale of such drinks to children. Boots and Aldi have taken similar steps here.

Mrs Noone praised shops that have taken such measures, saying: ‘By retailers acknowledging their responsibilities and enacting these measures on their own accord, we can reduce the need for new regulations and legislation to be brought in.’

Sinn Féin’s health spokeswoman, Louise O’Reilly, said the steps were ‘something that should be looked into’ but voiced concerned over how the proposal could be implemented.

She said: ‘We did support the sugar tax [on sugary drinks] and we know for sure there is a huge, unhealthy amount of sugar in those drinks. It is something we should look at.

‘Ultimately if it benefits our children’s health then it will be worthwhile. But I do have some concerns over the practicalities of implementing it.

‘Presumably it would be the same measures that prevent the sale of cigarettes or lottery tickets to children, but if it is for Under 16s, I don’t know how it would be enforced.

‘We could do an awful lot by educating people on the dangers of these drinks and the damage they can cause to their health, perhaps, rather than an outright ban.’

The Department of Health has no plans to ban energy drink sales to children but said the situation was being kept under review.

But Britain’s public health minister, Steve Brine, said: ‘We all have a responsibility to protect children from products that are damaging to their health and education, and we know that drinks packed to the brim with caffeine, and often sugar, are becoming a common fixture of their diet.’

Mr Brine insisted there was ‘widespread support’ for the ban.

Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics, said: ‘There is no evidence that energy drinks have any nutritional value or place in the diet of children and young people.

‘The growing market for energy drinks and potential for harm to children and young people clearly warrants further scrutiny.’

‘Damaging to their health’