The Government’s plan to delay by 18 months progress on legislation to ban the sale of energy drinks to under 18s has been criticised by the Senator who championed the Bill.
Independent Senator Sharon Keogan, who introduced the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill, said stalling it could undermine efforts to protect young people from the “health risks posed by high-caffeine, high-sugar energy drinks”.
As well as banning the sale of energy drinks to children the legislation also provides for mandatory health warnings similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products.
It targets drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, or which contain the stimulant taurine. The drinks would be banned in schools, youth clubs and any venue attended by under 18s, and restrictions would be placed on advertising.
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“While marketed in flashy cans and trendy branding, the contents of these drinks have serious physiological implications,” said the Co Meath Senator.
Ms Keoghan pointed to research which linked energy drink consumption “to anxiety, sleep disturbance, obesity, and heart issues among adolescents”.
She added that some brands contained up to 17 teaspoons of sugar in a single bottle, and the standard 250ml energy drink contained the caffeine content of five cans of cola.
Similar bans in countries like Lithuania, Latvia, and Hungary have already resulted in a drop in consumption rates among minors, she added.
Independent Senator Rónán Mullen said in some cases caffeine levels are between 160mg and 200mg per can. “That is double the amount found in an average cup of coffee which would be approximately 80mg depending on the strength.”
He pointed to observations by the HSE’s lead on obesity, Dr Donal O’Shea, “that they are bad for your ability to concentrate, attention span and if you have any tendency towards anxiety they drive that”.
“He says they should simply not be freely available to purchase as they are at the moment.”
Mr Mullen said many parents know very little about these drinks and the extent of consumption by their children.
Minister of State for Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said it would take 18 months to months to carry out the “necessary evidence-gathering, research and examination of appropriate policy options and stakeholder engagement”.
She acknowledged the commitment in the programme for government to “explore restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children”.
Ms Murnane O’Connor said the Department of Health is “at the very early stages of considering the process” but “we are committed to safeguarding health and wellbeing and seeking what is best policy and practice to achieve that”.
A “thorough assessment” is “essential” to “evaluate any public health concerns with regard to energy drink consumption by children and young adults in Ireland and to determine appropriate policy measures”.
The Minister said policy measures “must be grounded in the best available scientific evidence”. Any regulations to restrict or ban sales to children “will need to be robust, appropriate and based on the weighing up of the scientific evidence”.
