Reps move to ban sale of ‘energy’ drinks

The House of Representatives on Tuesday moved to ban the importation and sale of caffeinated drinks, popularly known as ‘energy drinks’, in the country.

It directed its Joint Committee on Health/Commerce to investigate the importation and distribution of the drinks, following a motion sponsored by a member, Mr. Yacoob Bush-Alebiosu.

Bush-Alebiosu said the consumption of the drinks had “life-threatening effects on blood pressure, heart and brain function.”

He expressed concern that the drinks were first choice beverages among young people, especially on campuses, bars, clubs and social functions across the country.

Bush-Alebiosu added that many brands of the drinks had flooded the country, as consumers were also mixing them with alcoholic drinks.

He said, “These drinks are being mixed with alcoholic drinks and become more deadly as they tend to mask the level of intoxication already settled in the bodies of the consumers of this mixture, thereby allowing young adults to consume much more alcohol than normal, which often times lead to young people  passing out after such in-take and also an increase in road accidents involving such people.”

The lawmaker listed Germany, Norway, France and Denmark among some of the countries that had banned the sale of the drinks in their jurisdiction “as a result of health risks caused by the consumption of energy drinks, including reported cases of deaths.”

According to him, research conducted by the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adeliade Hospital and Adeliade University in Southern Australia revealss a link between students consuming a particular brand of energy drink and the unstable state of their hearts.

Bush-Alebiosu said, “Other studies have revealed that the consumption of energy drink causes the heart to stop functioning at intervals and that the consumption of a 250ml can of energy drink can lead to blood clotting, which is highly fatal.”