Energy drinks ban for minors the right move

Last week I was cleaning my son’s bedroom and I found a big can of Monster and an even larger bottle of Boost, which are both energy drinks. It was upsetting to say the least, especially after all the warnings I had given him, but what was more upsetting was the fact that an adult thought it was appropriate to sell this to a 13-year-old boy. It’s shocking.

Energy drinks have not only been shown to raise stress levels, increase heart rate, increase blood pressure and now more and more cases relating to Type 1 diabetes, they have also been shown to make the blood a little thicker. It disrupts sleeping patterns, losing up to as much as four hours during the night, which only creates further problems with their learning and education.

Some parents and children may not even be aware of the potential health risks associated with energy drinks due to the way they are marketed.

There is no regulation of the marketing of energy drinks targeted at young adults. This recent change is in line with most of Britain’s major supermarket chains implementing the same ban to limit the sale of energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to children. This campaign was started by teachers, MPs and celebrities and I think we should be doing the

same.

Last summer I went into L’Islet chip shop and some young lads were trying to buy an energy drink and the lady serving them refused to sell it to them, telling them ‘they were too young’. This is commendable – well done to that lady, we should all be following her example and pushing for this ban island-wide.

Our children are being exposed more and more to these serious health risks. It’s time for change.

CHELSAY HURLEY

Address withheld