Post by cokeguy on Oct 5, 2011 21:32:17 GMT -5
I guess we will find out tomorrow if Energy drinks will be only sold over the counter by pharmacists in Canada......
www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1065181--health-minister-to-set-new-rules-for-energy-drinks?bn=1#article
Health minister to set new rules for energy drinks
Published On Wed Oct 05 2011
* Article
Joanna Smith Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA—Energy drinks could soon be sold only in pharmacies if the federal health minister decides to agree with expert advice to label the caffeinated beverages as containing stimulant drugs.
Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will announce Thursday whether she has decided to accept the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Caffeinated Drinks convened by Health Canada, which called for the drinks to be sold over the counter in pharmacies, as are painkillers and other medications.
A government official confirmed Aglukkaq will unveil the new energy drink plan at the University of Ottawa sports complex on Thursday morning but would not say whether it would go so far as to limit the sale of caffeinated soft drinks — such as Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar — to drugstores under the direct supervision of a pharmacist.
“The plan is going to be a balanced plan,” said the official. “It will put health first, but it will respect people’s right to choose what they eat or drink.”
New Democrat MP and health critic Libby Davies said there is a need for more accurate labelling and better education — especially for parents and children — about what these drinks contain, but relegating them to the drugstores might not be the most effective approach.
“I think we have to ask the question: what difference would that make? You can make something less accessible, but I think education is really important and proper labeling, so even parents are aware what is actually contained within a particular substance, within a particular drink,” said Davies.
The details of the report submitted to Health Canada in November 2010 became public only last month after Postmedia News obtained a copy through Access to Information legislation.
Adopting its recommendations would set a global precedent for regulating the caffeinated soft drinks, with a statement from the Canadian Beverage Association last month indicating the industry would be angry.
“The panel’s recommendations are completely unsubstantiated in science and their conclusions are unreasonable,” the industry association wrote in a news release Sept. 21.
“All forms of coffee and tea would fall into the same definition. Given that over 90 per cent of the caffeine in Canadians’ diets comes from coffee and tea, it is therefore perplexing that these beverages would not be subject to the same demanding requirements as energy drinks,” said the statement.
Even Davies raised that issue.
“I do think it’s a bit of a Pandora’s box, because we’re talking about caffeine and clearly some of these so-called energy drinks are being marketed to youth, but when you talk about caffeine levels, there are also youth who are drinking coffee that might have the same or more caffeine,” said Davies, who added she is waiting to see what Aglukkaq has to say.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1065181--health-minister-to-set-new-rules-for-energy-drinks?bn=1#article
Health minister to set new rules for energy drinks
Published On Wed Oct 05 2011
* Article
Joanna Smith Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA—Energy drinks could soon be sold only in pharmacies if the federal health minister decides to agree with expert advice to label the caffeinated beverages as containing stimulant drugs.
Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will announce Thursday whether she has decided to accept the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Caffeinated Drinks convened by Health Canada, which called for the drinks to be sold over the counter in pharmacies, as are painkillers and other medications.
A government official confirmed Aglukkaq will unveil the new energy drink plan at the University of Ottawa sports complex on Thursday morning but would not say whether it would go so far as to limit the sale of caffeinated soft drinks — such as Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar — to drugstores under the direct supervision of a pharmacist.
“The plan is going to be a balanced plan,” said the official. “It will put health first, but it will respect people’s right to choose what they eat or drink.”
New Democrat MP and health critic Libby Davies said there is a need for more accurate labelling and better education — especially for parents and children — about what these drinks contain, but relegating them to the drugstores might not be the most effective approach.
“I think we have to ask the question: what difference would that make? You can make something less accessible, but I think education is really important and proper labeling, so even parents are aware what is actually contained within a particular substance, within a particular drink,” said Davies.
The details of the report submitted to Health Canada in November 2010 became public only last month after Postmedia News obtained a copy through Access to Information legislation.
Adopting its recommendations would set a global precedent for regulating the caffeinated soft drinks, with a statement from the Canadian Beverage Association last month indicating the industry would be angry.
“The panel’s recommendations are completely unsubstantiated in science and their conclusions are unreasonable,” the industry association wrote in a news release Sept. 21.
“All forms of coffee and tea would fall into the same definition. Given that over 90 per cent of the caffeine in Canadians’ diets comes from coffee and tea, it is therefore perplexing that these beverages would not be subject to the same demanding requirements as energy drinks,” said the statement.
Even Davies raised that issue.
“I do think it’s a bit of a Pandora’s box, because we’re talking about caffeine and clearly some of these so-called energy drinks are being marketed to youth, but when you talk about caffeine levels, there are also youth who are drinking coffee that might have the same or more caffeine,” said Davies, who added she is waiting to see what Aglukkaq has to say.