Brussels, 15/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 15 May, Lithuania decided to ban the sale of energy drinks to minors aged under 18, which subsequently creates a precedent in the European Union.
This measure will enter into force in November and was approved by the Lithuanian parliament by a large majority. According to the Lithuanian minister for health, this ban is totally unprecedented in the EU because the majority of member states only recommend minors not to consume these drinks. “I hope that this will be an incentive to other countries. A lot of them are still hesitating, perhaps influenced by the lucrative energy drinks industry”, said Almantas Kranauskas, a senior official from Lithuania's Ministry for Health. Kranauskas stated that consuming these drinks leads to addiction and hyperactivity due to the high level of caffeine they contain. He also cited recommendations by certain scientists who believe that consuming these drinks could lead to trying out drugs. Some MPs, however, believe that this decision will only have a negative impact on the fizzy drink sector in this country of 3 million inhabitants. “It will create a lot of chaos and enormous costs”, warned Liberal MP, Eugenijus Gentvilas. (IL)