Reps Orders Probe On Importation, Distribution Of ‘Energy Drinks’ In Nigeria

The House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday directed its Committees on Health and Commerce to investigate the importation, distribution, sales and health implication of caffeinated energy drinks in Nigeria.
The house gave the committees four weeks to report their findings.
The directive followed a motion by Rep.Yacoob Alebiosu(ACN-Lagos), which was unanimously adopted.
The motion is entitled: “Urgent Need to Proscribe the Sale, Distribution and Consumption of all brands of Caffeinated Energy Drinks in Nigeria’’.

The House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday directed its Committees on Health and Commerce to investigate the importation, distribution, sales and health implication of caffeinated energy drinks in Nigeria.
The house gave the committees four weeks to report their findings.
The directive followed a motion by Rep.Yacoob Alebiosu(ACN-Lagos), which was unanimously adopted.
The motion is entitled: “Urgent Need to Proscribe the Sale, Distribution and Consumption of all brands of Caffeinated Energy Drinks in Nigeria’’.
Alebiosu noted that energy drinks containing caffeine, sugar, high fructose, corn syrup, herbs and other substances were now found on campuses, in bars, dance clubs and social functions across the country.
He further said that several brands of energy drinks such as red bull, power horse , vault , red alert, burn and others contained high levels of ingredients and stimulants.
The lawmaker said that the stimulants contained in such drinks posed dangerous health risks such as kidney damages, seizures as well as strokes to the consumers.
“It poses even life-threatening effects on blood pressure, heart and brain function,’’ he added.
He expressed concern that heart diseases caused by the consumption of these energy drinks was alarming and threatening the health condition of the younger generation.
According to him, these caffeinated energy drinks are mixed with alcoholic drinks like Vodka, Hennessey among others.
“The mixture of these caffeinated drinks with Vodka ,Hennessey become more deadly as they tend to mask the level of intoxication already settled in the bodies of the consumers of this mixture.
“This caused young adults to consume much more alcohol than normal which often times lead to young people passing out such intake and increase in road accidents involving such people.’’
He said that the governments of Denmark, Germany, Norway and France had placed outright ban on the sale of these caffeinated energy drinks.
This is due to the health risks caused by the consumption of these drinks.
Alebiosu further expressed worry that Nigeria because of its large population of young adults and teenagers was unaware of the dangers of the effect of the energy drink.
He added that Africa and in particular Nigeria had become a dumping ground for these drinks as a result of the numbers of cans sold daily in the country.
The Deputy Speaker, Rep. Emeka Ihedioha, referred the motion to the relevant committees for further legislative inputs.