The government is planning a new law in England to stop anyone under the age of 16 buying energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime from shops, restaurants, cafes, vending machines and online.<\/p>\n
Up to a third of UK children are thought to consume these types of drinks every week, despite most supermarkets having already introduced a voluntary ban. <\/p>\n
Some popular drinks contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee. <\/p>\n
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said he was acting on the concerns of parents and teachers and tackling the issue “head on”, to protect young people’s health.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Lower-caffeine soft drinks, such Diet Coke, are not affected, and neither are tea and coffee.<\/p>\n
A consultation will now run for 12 weeks to gather evidence from health and education experts as well as the public and retailers and manufacturers.<\/p>\n
TV chef Jamie Oliver has repeatedly warned of the dangers and disruption energy drinks can cause, with kids coming into school “bouncing off the walls” having had energy drinks for breakfast. <\/p>\n
“We are talking about three, four shots of espresso in one of these things. Loads of sugar. So an absolute nightmare,” he said in a video posted on X last year. <\/p>\n
Excessive consumption is linked to headaches and sleep problems.<\/p>\n
Too much caffeine can cause a rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures too. <\/p>\n
Although rare, there have been some deaths linked to excess caffeine. <\/p>\n
Under current labelling rules, any drink, other than tea or coffee, with over 150mg of caffeine per litre requires a warning label saying: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women.”<\/p>\n
Young people have smaller bodies and their brains are still developing, which can make them more sensitive to caffeine, say experts. <\/p>\n
For most adults, up to 400mg of caffeine a day, or about four cups of instant coffee or five cups of tea, is safe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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“By preventing shops from selling these drinks to kids, we’re helping build the foundations for healthier and happier generations to come,” said Mr Streeting. <\/p>\n
Prof Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said a ban was the “next logical step” in making children’s diets more healthy.<\/p>\n
And Prof Amelia Lake from Teesside University, who has studied the drinks’ impact on young people’s lives, said they had “no place” in the diets of children.<\/p>\n
“Our research has shown the significant mental and physical health consequences of children drinking energy drinks.<\/p>\n
“We know these drinks are part of youth culture and associated with sports, gaming, music and more, but there is a lack of clear signalling about their health consequences.”<\/p>\n
But Gavin Partington from the British Soft Drinks Association said manufacturers had already led the way with self regulation. <\/p>\n
“As with all government policy, it’s essential that any forthcoming regulation is based on a rigorous assessment of the evidence that’s available,” he added. <\/p>\n
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also considering a ban. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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