Québec solidaire MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, centre, speaks at the provincial legislature on May 6 alongside Veronica Martinez and David Miron, the parents of late teenager Zachary Miron.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
Quebec is considering a ban on selling energy drinks to children under the age of 16, which would make it the first province in Canada to do so.
Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, a Québec solidaire MNA, said the provincial legislature unanimously adopted a motion on May 6 asking the provincial government to regulate the sales of energy drinks for those under the age of 16.
“Considering this is a non-partisan and consensual issue, I think we as elected officials could take a positive step to protect young people,” Mr. Cliche-Rivard said.
A petition signed by 35,604 people was filed ahead of the motion urging the government to take action. The petition was circulated in the name of Zachary Miron, who died at the age of 15 in January, 2024, after drinking a can of Red Bull while on a ski trip.
A coroner’s report found that the combination of caffeine from the energy drink mixed with the medication Mr. Miron was taking for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder caused an arrhythmia and led to his sudden death.
The petition, launched in March by Mr. Miron’s parents, Veronica Martinez and David Miron, received support from parents, teachers, school boards and public-health associations, as well as several junior sports leagues and Quebec politicians.
Health Canada defines energy drinks as prepackaged beverages containing added caffeine, along with other ingredients such as taurine, B vitamins, minerals or herbal ingredients. They are regulated as a supplemented food, meaning they have ingredients that can pose a risk to health if consumed heavily.
Mr. Cliche-Rivard, who tabled the petition, said he is happy to see the community support.
“I’m very encouraged by the mobilization on this matter,” he said.
A study published in the Journal of Chemical Health Risks in 2024 on the effects of energy drinks on children and adolescents found that the beverages are consumed by young people aged 7 to 17 on a frequent basis and can have serious effects such as chest pain and mood disorders. The study recommended that pediatricians be aware of the possible side effects, especially in vulnerable populations, and educate families on its consumption.
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Familiprix, a Quebec-based pharmacy chain, has already made the decision to remove energy drinks from its shelves in Quebec and New Brunswick. The chain said affiliated stores will display a message encouraging individuals to let their pharmacists know whether or not they consume energy drinks.
“We fully support pharmacists helping those who are picking up any prescription medication,” said Krista Scaldwell, president of the Canadian Beverage Association.
Ms. Scaldwell said energy drinks are regulated in Canada and they have been “confirmed as safe by health authorities around the world.”
The CBA is a national trade association that represents more than 60 non-alcoholic beverage brands in Canada, including Monster Energy and Red Bull.
A poll conducted in Quebec by Ipsos in 2020 found that 27 per cent of Quebec teenagers reported consuming energy drinks in the previous three months, while half said they had consumed a coffee-based drink.
“Caffeine concern is disproportionate to actual consumption,” Ms. Scaldwell said.
In response to the petition, the CBA affirmed the safety of energy drinks citing the European Food Safety Authority and Health Canada, among other data.
In a brief published by the European Union in 2025, the EU concluded that excessive consumption of energy drinks among adolescents was on the rise, causing health concerns linked to acute cardiovascular effects, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal issues.
The EFSA found that adolescents are the largest consumers of energy drinks. Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria currently have bans on energy drink sales to minors.
England is also planning legislation to ban the sale of energy drinks to minors, committing to raise “the healthiest generation of children ever.”
The CBA also noted that Canadian regulations prohibit advertising energy drinks to children under the age of 12.
“It’s important for the public to know that we fully comply with Health Canada and we put in marketing standards,” Ms. Scaldwell said. She said that the proposed changes in Quebec suggest “that the regulatory framework is being superseded by a province.”