What to know
- Quebec has banned energy drinks for those under 16. Bill 9 prohibits the sale or serving of energy drinks with at least 150 mg of caffeine per litre to anyone under 16, with fines for minors, adults and businesses.
- A University of Toronto expert supports similar restrictions in Ontario. Nutrition professor Sara Mahdavi says limiting young people’s access to highly caffeinated energy drinks could help reduce health risks. She also recommends clearer labels and stronger public education.
- Toronto residents are divided on the idea of a ban. Some support restricting energy drinks for youth, while others question whether a ban would actually stop minors from accessing them.
- Young people may be more vulnerable to caffeine’s effects. Mahdavi says factors such as body weight, sleep, medications and underlying health conditions can affect how caffeine impacts children and adolescents.
Should energy drinks be banned to those under the age of 16? Quebec just passed it as law, and we asked Torontonians if Ontario should follow.
In mid-June, Quebec passed a law making it illegal to sell or serve energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16.
The law, Bill 9, follows after 15-year-old Zachary Miron’s heart stopped after taking a Red Bull while on ADHD medication.
Bill 9 targets drinks with at least 150mg of caffeine per litre, plus ingredients such as taurine, vitamins, or minerals. Regular coffee and tea is exempt.
Those who disregard the law can be fined.
- Minors under 16: Up to $100.
- Adults buying for a minor: Between $500 and $1,500.
- Businesses: Up to $62,500.
Now this raises the question: should Ontario follow Quebec’s lead and prohibit energy drinks to those under the age of 16?
‘I can only imagine a 16-year-old kid dealing with that’: This local isn’t pro-ban, but doesn’t recommend the energy drink
Toronto resident April M. says she’s neutral on whether there should be a ban, but isn’t the biggest fan of energy drinks.
“For myself, coffee is a lot, and I’m 31. I can only imagine a 16-year-old kid dealing with that,” she told Now Toronto.
April says energy drinks give her anxiety, so she doesn’t recommend it.
“We have anxiety, and it’s obviously being driven, and [coffee’s] adding to it. We live in a society where, like, mental health is a huge part, and if there are things that we can maybe help prevent the youth from continuing to have such anxiety, I think it would be beneficial,” she said.
However, April isn’t encouraging a ban. Instead, she’s suggesting regulations for a smaller percentage of caffeine in energy drinks – designed for youth.
“They should really adjust based on the demographic,” April said.
‘They should be getting their energy through natural ways’: This local is totally against energy drinks, here’s why
Toronto resident Ian H. is against energy drinks, and is in support of the ban.
“In my opinion, I would say after puberty,” he said. “I think kids should not have any trouble with energy. They should be getting their energy through natural ways: fruits, vegetables, healthy eating and exercise.”
‘When I was 16, I was definitely doing way worse stuff than energy drinks’: This local says there are more important issues than energy drinks
Toronto resident Julian A. says energy drinks might be a concern, but more serious drugs are still in the streets – plus, how do you ensure the ban works?
“Even with the menthol ban for cigarettes, people have certainly found ways to get them… I’m curious about whether a ban would actually stop kids from getting these,” he questioned. “When I was 16, I was definitely doing way worse stuff than energy drinks.”
An expert shares her thoughts
Sara Mahdavi, Adjunct professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto, believes Ontario should follow in Quebec’s footsteps.
“Ontario could consider a comparable restriction alongside stronger public education and clearer product labelling,” she suggests.
“From a scientific perspective, there is a clear rationale for limiting children’s access to highly caffeinated energy drinks. Both the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise against their consumption by children and adolescents,” Mahdavi explained.
Despite an age restriction not eliminating every single risk, she says it can help reduce access and protect the most vulnerable groups.
Would clearer labels help?
Mahdavi recommends clearer labels to provice more accessible information about potential medication interactions – especially for those with stimulant medications for ADHD.
“We have case reports of children dying from taking energy drinks that negatively reacted with their ADHD medications here in Canada, in addition to others that were on no medications but autopsies confirmed death due to arrhythmia, which is irregular heartbeat with the only substance testing positive being caffeine,” she said.
“Certain medications can increase the cardiovascular effects of caffeine, while others can alter its metabolism. The nature and severity of these interactions depend on the specific medication and the individual,” Mahdavi added.
Are energy drinks more dangerous for children than adults?
Children and adolescents are generally more vulnerable to the adverse effects of concentrated caffeine, Mahdavi explained.
From a child’s lower body weight to an adolescent’s brain still developing and needing sleep and caffeine-related sleep disruption being at risk, energy drinks are significantly worse for kids.
“My central message is that caffeine exposure needs to be evaluated in the context of age, body weight, medications, underlying health conditions and individual biological differences, such as their caffeine tolerance according to their genetic predisposition,” Mahdavi said.
“A product that is reasonably tolerated by one adult may produce significant adverse effects in an adolescent at risk,” she added.
