Go easy on caffeine

If you are one of those fortunate souls who is still, long after the age of 18, asked for identification when buying alcohol, beware. You may soon face the same flattering procedure when buying energy drinks. With names like Relentless and Monster, these beverages are sold as pick-me-ups for students flagging during late-night revision sessions or for those who simply dislike coffee. The Government is embarking on a public consultation as to whether to ban the sale of any drink containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre (a mug full of instant coffee contains around 100mg) to children.

Doubtless parents should be wary of such drinks. Some contain up to 240mg of caffeine, whereas health officials recommend no more than 105mg per day for a healthy 11-year-old. They are often high in sugar and research is ongoing as to whether synthetic taurine, used in many energy drinks, is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and hallucinations. Granted, too, the consultation may be a way of pushing energy drink companies into regulating themselves. The sugary drinks levy has led to many firms replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners to avoid putting up prices. For energy drinks, the 150mg cap suggests the Government would be happy if drink makers voluntarily limited caffeine content.

Nevertheless, bans are blunt instruments that governments of all shades have grown overly accustomed to wielding. Government and public health officials should by all means warn of the health risks. But it is parents’ responsibility to ensure that their children are not consuming excessive quantities of unhealthy food and drink. That important principle should not be forgotten.