LONDON, England — The sale of high-caffeine soft drinks to children could be banned in England, the British government said Thursday, citing public health concerns.
The so-called "energy drinks" contain high levels of sugar and caffeine and have been linked to obesity and a range of other health issues.
According to a consultant dietitian, children consuming energy drinks can experience heart palpitations, high blood pressure, inability to sleep and restlessness.
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"The concern I guess is that we don't know the effects on caffeine in children, we can't study that. So we're concerned that children are having huge doses of caffeine and huge doses of sugar and actually it's perfectly legal," said Ursula Philpot, a consultant dietitian.
A government statement said adolescents in Britain who drink energy drinks consume around 50 percent more than their counterparts in Europe.
"You know whilst access is so easy - they're cheap, you know kids can drink two or three in a row - it's very difficult to police. So lots of the countries in Europe have banned them completely, and that's what the government is consulting on. Should we ban them and at what age should we allow children to have them," said Philpot.
The government launched a consultation seeking views on the subject, including at what age the ban should apply.
"So kids tend to self-medicate with them to stay up gaming, those kinds of things. And teachers are reporting problems in schools, because kids go into school having taken these for breakfast and then can't sit still all day. So it's, sort of... and obviously the sugar as well with dental care needs as well is a real issue," said Philpot.
The policy would only apply to England, with Scotland, Wales and northern Ireland free to set their own policies.
The ban would apply to drinks containing 150 milligrams of caffeine or more per liter.