Energy Drink Sales Ban Proposed in Los Angeles

The bill seeks to prohibit minors in Los Angels from purchasing energy drinks.

January 30, 2014

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks is proposing a bill to prohibit anyone who is age 18 or younger from purchasing energy drinks, NBC Los Angeles reports.

An L.A. City Council committee met earlier this week to discuss the plan, prompted by Parks, who last March requested a study of whether the city could require stores to dedicate special shelves and signage to sell the caffeinated drinks.

"If there is adverse effects by those who consume these products, (energy drink makers should) go ahead and clearly label it in the stores and possibly on the can,” said Noel Pallaise of the Office of Councilman Bernard Parks.

At this week’s meeting, city lawmakers also discussed a possible ban of the drinks by city employees while on duty, including firefighters and police, as well as an initiative to provide nutritional information to city workers about energy drinks. “Recent studies have found that several brands of energy drinks contain larger amounts of caffeine than what is listed on their respective labels,” the motion states. “It should be noted that the FDA caps the amount of caffeine in soda at 0.02%, however there is no cap on the caffeine content of energy drinks.”

The committee did not vote at the meeting but plans to resume talks on the matter next month.

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