Should energy drinks be outlawed for children 18 and younger?

Lawmakers in some states are considering drafting legislation to prevent children under the age of 18 from drinking energy drinks. Since some companies selling energy drinks are targeting children with their advertisements, legislators have become increasingly concerned over the adverse health effects of the energy drinks on children. The health concerns include insomnia, addiction to caffeine, and the impact on the child’s future habits.

Caffeine causes insomnia and disrupts sleep. It takes at least six hours to burn off the caffeine in half a cup of coffee. Drinking an energy drink is equivalent to drinking one or more cups of coffee. Children drinking an energy drink later in the day will have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Sleep is essential for healthy children and for building healthy habits.

Caffeine is a drug that results in addiction. Energy drinks fuel caffeine addiction. Children drinking energy drinks to help stay awake will develop an addiction to caffeine at younger ages, preventing them from developing healthy sleeping habits. Using a substance to artificially enhance energy levels could lead to the eventual use of other substances to enhance moods, performance, or other needs. This is not the message we want our children to grow up learning.