The Canary Islands does not plan to emulate the seven autonomous communities that are considering following in the footsteps of Galicia and will study regulating the sale of energy drinks to minors, a sector of the population that, according to the Ministry of Health and the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, should not consume this type of product.
Aragón, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra and the Basque Country are the autonomous regions in which their regional governments plan to study the regulation of these beverages, although there are communities such as Castilla y León and the Valencian Community where this issue has already begun to be addressed.
Castilla y León and the Valencian Community have begun the analyses
Castilla y León and the Valencian Community are already studying whether to prohibit the sale of energy drinks to minors along the lines of what the Xunta de Galicia has announced.
In the Valencian Community, addiction to energy drinks affects 45 percent of young people
According to the Minister of Health of Castilla y León, Alejandro Vázquez, this is an issue that "must be studied well" because "it has many components", so the regional Executive will adopt a decision once "all the variables" have been analyzed.
In the Valencian Community, addiction to energy drinks affects 45 percent of young people.
There, the Autonomous Office of Mental Health and Addictions is already carrying out a "sensible, reflective and serene study" on this problem "with the aim of making an approach that can solve it".
In addition, the government of the Valencian Generalitat will ask the Ministry of Health to address the problem of addiction to energy drinks in an Interterritorial Council.
Five communities plan to assess their regulation
Sources from the Ministry of Health of the Balearic Islands have told EFE that they consider regulating the consumption and sale of energy drinks to minors to be an initiative to "explore and assess".
In Aragón, the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of Aragón is studying the design of actions to raise awareness among adolescents of the risk involved in consuming energy drinks, although, for the moment, it does not contemplate prohibiting it as Galicia has announced.
In the case of Castilla-La Mancha, the Government has pointed out that they "have" to study this issue, while in Navarra it is something "that is being considered" but they have not yet reached any conclusion.
In the Basque Country, Executive sources have stated that they consider the sale and consumption of these beverages to be a "relevant issue" and have indicated that they will evaluate it within the strategy to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy eating among young people.
Although the governments of Cantabria and La Rioja do not have any initiative underway at the moment, they do not rule out that in the future they may adopt measures similar to those of Galicia.
Madrid, Extremadura and the Canary Islands do not have any action planned
The regional governments of Madrid, Extremadura and the Canary Islands do not have any action planned regarding the sale of energy drinks to minors.
The Government of Asturias, for its part, "declines" to assess or comment on the measure adopted in Galicia.
Sources from the Ministry of Health and Consumption of the Junta de Andalucía have assured EFE that they are "evaluating" the measures that exist in other regions, but have stressed that the regional Executive is working on a healthy lifestyle strategy and a food decree.
Along the same lines, the Canary Islands Health Service insists on promoting healthy habits from childhood, which means that minors limit their access to sugary products and also avoid the consumption of energy drinks.
However, for now, its prohibition has not been considered.
Ministry of Health, in favor of limiting access and consumption by minors
Sources from the Ministry of Health have informed EFE that the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan), which depends on the Ministry of Consumption, has the competence.
"This does not mean that we are not in favor of limiting access and consumption of these beverages by minors, as we already proposed in a recommendations document," said sources.
The document published by Aesan in 2022 recalls that, on average, a 330 ml can of energy drink provides 105.6 milligrams of caffeine per can, which is equivalent to 1.3 espresso coffees.
"From 160 milligrams of caffeine (500 milliliters of an energy drink with 32 mg of caffeine/100ml), it can cause general adverse health effects: psychological effects and behavioral alterations and cardiovascular disorders," explains the text, which adds that, therefore, it does not recommend its consumption to adolescents.
Along the same lines, the Spanish Association of Pediatrics has recalled that energy drinks, which have large doses of caffeine and simple sugars, "should not be consumed in the pediatric age", which includes childhood and adolescence.
