Punjab government to ban energy drinks in schools, colleges
There are some energy drinks in the market that have very high concentrations of caffeine, which can lead to spike in heartbeat, anxiety, etc, says Punjab health minister
Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday announced that the government would soon seek a ban on energy drinks with high caffeine concentration in schools and issue advisory for colleges across the state.
“There are some energy drinks in the market that have very high concentrations of caffeine, which can lead to spike in heartbeat, anxiety, gastric conditions, and deterioration of cardiovascular health. There are World Health Organization (WHO) directions against the consumption of these drinks by those under 18 years of age,” the minister said at the Eat Right Mela here.
He added that to address the legal part of it he would write to the Union government to ban these habit-forming drinks.
The minister also highlighted the importance of millet and organic food production for maintaining soil quality and promoting overall well-being. “The people have completely forgotten about coarse grains including, bajra, kangani, kodra, jowar, saanwan and ragi,” he said, adding that there is a need to spread awareness about the benefits of coarse grains rich in nutrients and create an environment to promote its production.
AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora, who is also the party candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll, was also present. Earlier in the day, a walkathon was also held to sensitise people about good eating habits and the importance of millet.
