Quebec is contemplating banning the sale of vitality drinks to minors beneath the age of 16.
Well being Minister Sonia Bélanger says she’s reflecting on the concept after assembly the household of a 15-year-old who died after ingesting Pink Bull.
David Miron and Veronica Martinez are the mother and father of 15-year-old Zachary Miron. After talking with Bélanger, they really feel they’re one step nearer to paying a significant tribute to their late son.
“What we’re dwelling proper now, no person ought to must undergo that,” Martinez advised reporters on the Nationwide Meeting
Zachary was on a faculty ski journey at Morin Heights in 2024 when he drank a Pink Bull after having taken remedy that morning to deal with his ADHD.
“They purchased a Pink Bull from the merchandising machine within the cafeteria, so he drank the Pink Bull, and it was within the chair elevate that his coronary heart stopped. That was the top,” she defined.
The mother and father stated their son was completely wholesome and wouldn’t have recognized that the vitality drink may react badly together with his remedy.
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“If this sort of state of affairs can occur to a boy like that, I imply, no person is secure. That’s why we’re right here,” stated Martinez.
The late teen’s mother and father imagine the drinks ought to be banned for individuals beneath 18.
Their official Nationwide Meeting petition demanding the province ban the sale of vitality drinks to minors has garnered about 15,000 signatures. It’s sponsored by Quebec Solidaire MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who joined them of their assembly with the well being minister.
“I actually felt she was moved and touched by their testimony and I felt like she got here with choices in her hand,” stated Cliche-Rivard.
The petition factors out that England, Norway, Latvia and Lithuania have all voted to ban the sale of vitality drinks to minors, and that Quebec Public Well being officers are in favour of the concept.
“We’re actually going to look into the potential of utterly banning vitality drinks beginning at age 16, and possibly even from age 18,” Belanger stated.
The minister says she is assembly with consultants within the coming days to debate the matter.
“I basically personally imagine, and that is what the science is saying as effectively, that 18 ought to be the suitable age,” stated Cliche-Rivard.
The boy’s mother and father and Cliche-Rivard hope a transpartisan invoice to convey forth the ban could be created and handed earlier than the top of the present Nationwide Meeting session.