Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Iain Rankin has introduced a bill to ban energy drinks for youth under the age of 16, mirroring recent legislation passed in Quebec An energy drink ban won’t solve the issue of youth accessing high levels of caffeine and could lead to energy drink bans or limits for consumers of all ages Toronto, Canada — Sept. 21 — Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Iain Rankin has introduced legislation to ban the sale of energy drinks to youth under the age of 16, mirroring recent legislation passed in Quebec. The legislation passed in Quebec was in response to the tragic death of a 15-year-old who died after consuming both an energy drink and stimulant medication at the same time, which medical professionals advise against. The move by the Quebec government was misguided and based on emotion rather than factual evidence.
If elected officials are truly concerned about youth caffeine intake, banning energy drinks isn’t the solution. Those under 16 can still buy caffeinated beverages like coffee that typically contain more caffeine than energy drinks and energy drinks represent just 11 per cent of caffeine consumed by youth. Instead, government officials should focus on educating the public about the dangers of consuming both caffeine and stimulant medications at the same time.
“Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston should reject the temptation to engage in emotions-based politics and instead choose sound public policy. Following Quebec’s lead by banning the sale of energy drinks to youth won’t address the issue at hand and would set a bad precedent for other provinces. Public education, rather than overregulation, ought to be the solution Houston turns to if he wants to address the issue of youth caffeine consumption,” said Jay Goldberg, North American Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center.