Hassan Al -Sitry
The death of a 16 -year -old Bahraini young man after consuming two bottles of energy drinks sparked a wide wave of parliamentary reactions and Shura, as a number of members of the House of Representatives and Shura expressed their deep regret and sorrow for this tragedy, stressing that what happened is a dangerous alarm that requires urgent move at the legislative and supervisory levels to protect youth and adolescents from the health risks associated with these products.
Representatives and members stressed the need to tighten controls regulating the sale of energy drinks, and prevent their circulation for those under the age of eighteen, with strict control over the outlets and advertisements directed to this age group, as well as intensifying awareness campaigns and conducting scientific studies that reveal their negative effects on public health.
In addition, MP Dr. Maryam Al -Dhawan about her deep regret and sorrow for the death of a sixteen -year -old young man after eating excessive amounts of energy drinks, according to his family reported to local newspapers, stressing that this painful incident calls for an urgent movement to tighten the regulations governing these drinks. She said that energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and stimulating materials, which constitutes a direct threat to the health of teenagers and youth, especially when consumed in large quantities, stressing that there is an urgent need to restrict their sale to those under 18 years, while imposing strict control in this regard, and emphasizing the obligation of stores to verify the identity to ensure age before allowing the purchase of these products.
She added that among the required procedures is to compel the sales outlets to adhere to these controls, similar to what is in force in the sale of tobacco and nicotine products, in order to ensure that energy drinks do not reach small age groups. She also stressed the need to review all drinks and supplements that are marketed under the name “stimulants” or “energy stimuli” periodically by the competent authorities, so that the ban includes any products that may pose a threat to consumer health, stressing that protecting society and youth in particular falls in the top of legislative and supervisory priorities.
Al -Dhahn said that this incident should be a dangerous alarm that enhances societal awareness of the risks of energy drinks, and urges families and youth to deal with them with caution, while working to develop a more striking legislative and supervisory frameworks that limit their spread among adolescents.
For his part, Representative Ahmed Al -Salloum said: With great sorrow, we received the news of the death of a sixteen -year -old Bahraini young man after eating quantities of energy drinks, which is anxiety, and calls for an urgent movement to protect our sons and daughters, that this painful incident confirms the urgent need to tighten control over the sale of energy drinks for those under 18 years of age, and not to allow them to circulate between the small age groups that may be ignorant of their risks Health.
He stressed the need for the competent supervisory authorities to review all products that fall under the name “energy stimulating drinks” periodically and accurately, so that the ban includes any drink that proves that it may pose a threat to the health of young people, or cause serious complications, commenting: Protecting our youth is a shared responsibility, and families also follow their children and ensure that they are not popular with such drinks, especially in light of the ease of obtaining them from small stores. He called for launching comprehensive awareness campaigns in schools and society about the dangers of excessive consumption of energy drinks and their impact on the heart and nervous system, so that our youth are more aware and capable of protecting themselves.
She invited a member of the Shura Council d. Ibtisam Al -Dalal, to the necessity of restricting the sale of energy drinks for those under the age of 18 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, because of its serious health risks on the category of teenagers, and their negative effects on physical and mental development. She emphasized that these products contain high levels of caffeine and stimulants, which makes them inappropriate for small age groups.
She pointed to the importance of adopting clear legislation to regulate the sale of this type of beverage, as well as promoting market control, and emphasizing the review and classification of all energy -stimulating drinks, to include the ban if it is proven damaged, within the framework of national efforts to protect public health.
She also stressed the importance of societal awareness about the dangers of these drinks, and the role of health and educational institutions in promoting proper food behavior, in order to preserve the health and safety of future generations.
A member of the Shura Council d. Ahmed Al -Areed: Regarding energy drinks and their danger to children who are 18 years old, it has already been proven that they are a risk to health, because most of these drinks contain caffeine that works as a diuretic, and leads to low insulin levels in the blood, and also contributes to raising blood pressure.
Al -Areed continued: The effect of materials in energy drinks is not only limited to enhancing focus and physical and intellectual activity, but also causes health problems such as insomnia, anxiety, stress, and depression, because some studies have revealed that children and adolescents may suffer from the acceleration of heartbeat or what is known as the atrial shelf “the atrial shifts of the heart muscle”, which adds more risks. Therefore, it is not at all recommended to drink energy drinks for children, pregnant women, or people with heart disease and kidney disease. It also causes severe dryness that may lead to a severe deterioration in kidney function. We, as doctors and specialists in medical and health devices. We strongly emphasize the need to monitor the consumption of these drinks from all age groups in order to preserve the health of society.
As for the member of the Shura Council, Hani Al -Saati, he emphasized the creation of more organized legislation to sell energy drinks, in order to be strict in the controls of their sale, especially for those who are less than 18 years old.
In turn, Representative Hisham Al -Asheiri said that: based on the national and parliamentary responsibility towards protecting the health and safety of society, especially the youth category, I would like to express my great dearer and sadness for the death of a 16 -year -old young man after consuming quantities of one of the well -known energy drinks, according to what his family reported to local newspapers. This painful incident confirms that there is no way to doubt the seriousness of these drinks on the lives of our children, and the need to deal with them very seriously.
He continued: Energy drinks have become marketing for young people and adolescents as a way to increase activity or the ability to stay away and focus, while hiding serious health effects, most notably heart disorders, high blood pressure and negative effect on the nervous system. Unfortunately, adequate awareness among some families and adolescents is absent from their dangers, which requires a more striking legislative and executive intervention.
He called for the necessity of preventing the sale of energy drinks for those under the age of eighteen, with the development of clear mechanisms to monitor the application of this in all stores and ports, similar to what is applied in a number of developed countries. I also emphasize the necessity of reconsidering all the stimulus and energy products offered in the markets, and subjecting them to periodic reviews by the competent health authorities, so that any product that may carry stimulant or harmful components are included in the ban or restriction lists.
He called for tightening control over the import and circulation of these products, including obliging importers and distributors to put clear and explicit health warnings on the packages, showing the direct dangers of excessive eating. It is also necessary to legalize advertising and advertisements for adolescents, which often show these drinks in an attractive manner, while threatening their health and safety. And that this incident must be a motivation to intensify scientific and medical studies on the impact of energy drinks on public health, and work to spread its results to society, in a way that enhances societal awareness, and puts families and youth in front of the true image of the dangers of these products. I also suggest the cooperation of universities and research centers in Bahrain with regional and international health institutions to conduct specialized research that leads to applicable practical recommendations. He also mentioned that protecting our youth is a collective responsibility, which requires concerted efforts between the family, the school, society, and the legislative and executive authorities. What happened to the young Bahraini is a dangerous alarm that should not go unnoticed, but rather a starting point for strict policies and greater awareness of these drinks.
For his part, Representative Mohsen Al -Assab stressed the need to prohibit the sale of energy drinks for those under the age of eighteen, and to monitor the obligation to do so in all stores and markets. Also, reviewing these products periodically by the supervisory and health authorities is a must, to ensure that the ban or restriction includes all drinks or supplements that contain stimulant or stimulating materials that may threaten public health.
He called for intensifying control over the import and distribution of energy drinks, and setting clear controls that obligate companies and commercial stores to place explicit health warnings on their packages, showing their dangerous effects on the heart and nervous system. At the same time, advertisements that target the youth and adolescents should be legalized, as these products appear misleading by force and activity, while in reality they carry severe damage. He said: These efforts must accompany awareness campaigns and accurate scientific studies that explain to society all the health effects of these drinks. The scientific recommendations based on evidence will contribute to drawing more strict health and legislative policies, which protects future generations from their dangers.
He concluded by saying that the death of the Bahraini young man is a human tragedy that must all lead us – institutions and individuals – to a serious move to confront this phenomenon. The protection of our youth is a shared national responsibility, starting from the family, and integrates through the role of society and the state. I call for urgent measures to ensure tightening control and limit the intake of these drinks among young people, to preserve the lives of our children and the safety of their future.
For his part, Representative Khaled Bouaq said: “Our hearts are with the child’s family in this painful injured person, and we can only pray for them with patience and solace.
And he continued life more precious than everything, and it is not permissible to turn a blind eye to protecting our children, censorship is not an option, it is a responsibility, and we are in the process of studying all drinks that contain energy stimuli to emphasize their sale to the young.
