Germany Mulls Making Energy Drinks Illegal For Teens

Teens in Germany might not be able to enjoy shots of caffeinated energy drinks in the future, because members of Germany's Social Democratic Party are campaigning to make it illegal for people under 18 to purchase drinks with large amounts of caffeine.

According to The Local, the SPD is campaigning for German Parliament to stop the sale of energy drinks to teenagers because the high amounts of caffeine can cause health risks when consumed in excessive amounts, and teenagers seem to like to consume highly caffeinated beverages in large amounts at parties.

SPD consumer policy spokesperson Elvira Drobinski-Weiß said that explaining the potential health dangers of energy drinks was ineffective, and teenagers were likely to just ignore tiny warnings printed on the packaging.

"Young people take in huge doses of of caffeine despite the warning not to take more than one dose a day," she added. "But when youths party they drink far more and also mix it with alcohol."

If the SPD's legislation were to pass, energy drinks would reportedly be treated like hard alcohol, which can be purchased by customers over the age of 18. Wine and beer can be purchased by people 16 and over in Germany.