Energy Drinks Reregulated: Canadian Students’ Favourite Study Aid Under Fire

Last week, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq made the buzz-killing announcement that energy drinks will now be reclassified as a food product, instead of a natural health product. This means you can soon expect to see more warnings on the side of Red Bull, Rockstar and Monster drinks.

“As a parent, I need to have access to as much information as possible, to help us as a family make good decisions when it comes to what we eat and drink,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “I believe today’s changes will be especially helpful to the parents of teenagers who regularly consume energy drinks.”

Thanks to the changes to the regulations, you may also see:

• The caffeine content for a drink limited to 180 mg in a single serving. Roughly the same as a medium coffee.
• Specific warnings for children, pregnant/breastfeeding women
• A full ingredient, nutrition and allergen listing
• A warning against mixing with alcohol

However, many experts are saying the steps are not enough to protect young people. In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Bill Jeffery of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest said, “I really don’t know what they have in mind.”

“To set the caffeine limits so high, where plainly consuming the beverage as intended would cause the child to vastly exceed the recommended maximum, it just doesn’t seem responsible.”