In a major move targeting youth public health, Quebec’s health minister tabled a bill on Friday that would ban the sale of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16. Health Minister Sonia Bélanger framed the legislation as an “extremely important” intervention to safeguard young people from the hidden dangers of high-caffeine beverages.
Under the proposed law, youth would be required to present photo identification to purchase any beverage with a caffeine concentration of 150 milligrams per liter or higher that also contains additives like taurine, vitamins, or minerals.
“The risks associated with their consumption are too often trivialized,” Bélanger told reporters at the National Assembly. “Yet, we are facing a real and worrying public health issue.”
The political momentum behind the bill follows the tragic 2024 death of 15-year-old Zachary Miron. A coroner’s report concluded that Miron suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia after consuming a single can of Red Bull while taking prescribed medication for ADHD.
Miron’s parents, David Miron and Veronica Martinez, have since become fierce advocates for age restrictions. They were present in the legislature on Friday, where Premier Christine Fréchette commended their resilience and activism.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Martinez said. “We need to put in place safety nets.”
The proposed ban has struck a chord across the province. It has already garnered widespread backing from parents, educators, school boards, public health organizations, and minor sports leagues. Major pharmacy chain Familiprix even preemptively pulled the beverages from its shelves last month after Quebec’s Order of Pharmacists voiced strict support for an under-16 restriction.
While the bill enjoys broad tri-partisan support from the Liberals, Québec Solidaire, and the Parti Québécois, it fell just short of the unanimous consent required to fast-track it into law before the summer recess.
Maïté Blanchette Vézina, an independent MNA who represents the Conservative Party as its sole member in the legislature, refused to support the accelerated timeline. She argued against rushing legislation that restricts commerce and consumer choices.
“My mother and other people take medicines that interact with grapefruit,” Blanchette Vézina said on Thursday, defending her stance. “Are we going to ban grapefruit? No.”
Citing data from the Canadian Beverage Association, an industry lobby group, Blanchette Vézina noted that energy drinks account for only 11 percent of a teenager’s total caffeine intake. While she clarified that she is not entirely opposed to a eventual ban, she insists the merits of the bill deserve a full debate when the legislature reconvenes in the fall just ahead of the general election scheduled for October 5.
The delay drew sharp criticism from opposing benches. Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal labeled the Conservative stance “heartless” and publicly urged Blanchette Vézina to meet face-to-face with Miron’s grieving parents.
Premier Fréchette had previously expressed a desire to pass as many outstanding bills as possible before the legislature recesses on June 12. Because of the single dissenting vote, the future of the energy drink ban will now hinge on the political landscape of the upcoming fall session.
