Quebec’s well being minister tabled a invoice on Friday banning the sale of power drinks to youth beneath the age of 16, describing the measure as an “extraordinarily vital” step to guard younger folks’s well being.
Sonia Bélanger’s proposed laws would additionally pressure youth to indicate a bit of ID proving their age to be able to purchase a drink having caffeine focus of 150 milligrams per litre or extra and containing different substances, resembling taurine, nutritional vitamins or minerals.
“The dangers related to their consumption are too typically trivialized,” Bélanger informed reporters on the legislature. “But, we face an actual and worrying public well being challenge.”
Calls to ban the sale of power drinks to these beneath 16 years previous grew after the demise of 15-year-old Zachary Miron, who died in 2024 after ingesting a can of Pink Bull whereas on ADHD medicine.
Miron’s dad and mom, David Miron and Veronica Martinez, have been current on the legislature on Friday, the place Premier Christine Fréchette praised their resilience and activism.
“It’s the precise factor to do …. We have to put in place security nets,” Martinez stated in response.
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A coroner’s report stated the mix of Miron’s medicine and caffeine possible precipitated an arrhythmia that led to his sudden demise.
One legislature member declined to help the invoice, denying it the unanimous approval wanted to fast-track it into legislation earlier than the upcoming fall election.
Maïté Blanchette Vézina, the one member of the Conservative occasion to carry a seat on the legislature, informed reporters Thursday she doesn’t wish to rush laws that may limit or ban the sale of the drinks.
“My mom and different folks take medicines that work together with grapefruit,” stated Blanchette Vézina. “Are we going to ban grapefruit? No.”
Citing information from the Canadian Beverage Affiliation, a foyer group for beverage producers, Blanchette Vézina stated power drinks solely account for 11 per cent of the caffeine consumption of teenagers.
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She added that she shouldn’t be against a ban however desires to proceed debating its deserves within the fall, with a common election scheduled to be held by Oct. 5.
Fréchette has stated she would attempt to go as many payments as potential earlier than the legislature recesses June 12.
Legislature members from Québec Solidaire, the Quebec Liberals and the Parti Québécois all supported the invoice.
Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal stated she discovered the Conservatives’ place to be “heartless” and urged Blanchette Vézina to satisfy with Miron’s dad and mom.
The push for a ban on the sale of power drinks to youngsters additionally obtained help from dad and mom, lecturers, colleges, college boards, public well being associations and several other junior sports activities leagues.
The Familiprix pharmacy chain pulled power drinks from cabinets final month after Quebec’s order of pharmacists voiced its help to limit the sale of power drinks to these aged 16 and over.
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