Question No. 149 Hon. Carolyn Bennett: With respect to energy drinks: (a) what is the status of legislation to ban the sale of these products to minors; (b) what regulations and penalties are being put in place to offer policing and consequences that deter aggressive marketing to teens and children; (c) will these drinks be moved from the natural health products category into a different category within Health Canada; (d) what is the status of creating more effective labels to increase public education about the effects of these products; and (e) what is the status of an education campaign concerning the potential adverse health effe ...[+++]cts of these products?

According to the stakeholders in those two organizations, the sharp increase in the consumption of energy drinks and the appearance of stimulating drugs like speed and ecstasy are enough to justify increased efforts.

I. whereas, although the same worrying drinking patterns are being seen among young people in the different Member States, drinking patterns and traditions vary between different parts of the European Union, a fact which should be taken into account when formulating a European approach to alcohol-related problems, to enable each Member State to tailor its response to the problems and the nature of the alcohol-related harm involved; whereas a single, uniform alcohol policy for all Member States would not be possible, whereas there are still a number of alcohol policy issues which cross borders and make the implementation of national alcohol policy increasingly difficult for individual Member States; whereas there is therefore a need for c ...[+++]oncerted action at EU level; whereas the Commission should urge Member States to pursue an effective and ambitious policy of combating hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption, and should give the Member States as much support as possible in doing so,

Adding vitamins or minerals to alcoholic drinks would not be allowed in line with efforts to combat alcohol abuse.

Many groups and individuals across the country had devoted years of time and energy to labelling as a step toward eradicating fetal alcohol syndrome and other preventable conditions caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

12. Supports Malta in all its efforts to stem the rising levels of waste by banning the use of plastic bottles by maintaining its existing beverage container packaging system, as experience has shown that re-use is the best means for protecting Malta's fragile environment; welcomes, to this end, an eventual ban on non-returnable beverage containers;