Ban On High-Caffeine Energy Drinks In Iceland A Possibility

A professor of nutrition sciences believes that, as energy drinks contain ever-increasing amounts of caffeine, a ban on the ones with the highest levels of caffeine should be examined; or, at least, such drinks would be sold in a manner similar to tobacco, RÚV reports.

While the British government is taking steps to ban the sale of energy drinks to those younger than 17 or 16, Icelandic law forbids the sale of the strongest energy drinks to anyone younger than 18. However, these high-caffeine energy drinks are often put on the shelves right next to energy drinks with more reasonable levels of caffeine, confusing both consumers and retailers alike.

Ingibjörg Gunnarsdóttir, a professor of nutritional science at the University of Iceland, believes one solution to this problem is to ban the sale of the strongest energy drinks altogether.

“Especially to prevent them from becoming common, that it becomes the responsibility of the cashier to not sell these drinks to those younger than 18,” she told reporters, pointing out that these energy drinks can contain anywhere from three to five times more caffeine than they did just ten years ago.

To date, no drink has been banned in Iceland due to caffeine content. However, Iceland does forbid the importing of Moose Juice, on account of the extremely high levels of vitamins B6 and B12 in the drink. Very high doses of these vitamins can have a detrimental effect on the nervous system.