The new Secretary of State for Health, Javier Padilla, has expressed his favor of implementing measures that prohibit the consumption of energy drinks by minors at the national level. He did it yesterday after taking office and he did it in accordance with the bill currently led by the Xunta de Galicia to regulate the sale of these products in this community. "We think it is a good idea and we will do everything possible to reach all regions," Padilla stated in a press conference.
The measure adopted in Galicia seeks to protect the health of the youth and children population, in order to prevent possible addictive behaviors. The president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, explained at the beginning of November that this regulation "will equate energy drinks with alcohol and vapers with tobacco", which is why the sale of these products to minors will be prohibited. Faced with this, Secretary Padilla expressed that "we thought it was wonderful when Galicia announced it," since it sets a precedent at the national level for this type of products.
The reasons that lead to the prohibition of the consumption of energy drinks for minors lie mainly in the effects that they can have on health, since "they contain high doses of caffeine and other stimulant substances," according to Rueda. Therefore, minors who consume these types of products will face fines of up to 3,000 euros, while those who sell them will have to pay up to 600,000 euros. This regulation is expected to come into force in Galicia at the beginning of 2024.
According to data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, 62% of adolescents between 10 and 18 years old and 26% of children between 3 and 10 years old regularly consume energy drinks. Regarding this, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) expressed its concern in a report that also explains that the consumption of energy drinks can cause "cardiovascular and hematological, neurological and psycho-behavioral risks."
In addition to the risks associated with the consumption of this type of product, there have also been warnings about trends among the youth population of mixing energy drinks with alcohol, since these "mask the depressive effects of alcoholic beverages," according to the Xunta de Galicia in its decision to regulate them. Although these drinks contain high levels of caffeine, they also have large amounts of sugar, which makes them "a metabolic bomb," according to nutritionist Susana León in this report. According to the expert, this delays the effects of alcohol on the body and therefore can cause greater consumption.
The Secretary of State for Health then seeks to have the Ministry adopt measures similar to those announced by the Xunta de Galicia, so that the consumption of energy drinks has a "state framework." Other autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Castilla y León and Valencia, are studying the possibility of joining the initiative to prohibit these types of products for minors.
