College to Ban Caffeinated Energy Drinks

The College's Health and Safety Committee and the Senior Leadership team have been working on removing Caffeinated Energy Drinks from our College's campus. Late in 2024, the Health and Safety Committee started to discuss the effects of students bringing and consuming caffeinated energy drinks on the College campus and a spike in visits to the medical room of students after consumption of these products.  These products are not sold from our onsite canteen.

Caffeinated energy drinks are non-alcoholic, water-based drinks containing caffeine. They also tend to be high in sugar and energy, although zero-sugar varieties are available. Caffeine is a stimulant, and energy drinks are promoted as improving mental and physical performance, however, they are not recommended as part of a healthy diet. Caffeinated energy drinks must contain between 145 - 320mg of caffeine per litre, equating to 36 - 80mg in a 250ml serving, similar to a 250ml cup of plunger coffee (66mg caffeine). Some of these drinks can have up to 7 teaspoons (28g) of sugar in a 250ml serving.

Teenagers can be more sensitive to the harmful effects of caffeine in energy drinks, with symptoms including irritability, restlessness, rapid heart rate, disturbed sleep patterns and dehydration.

On the advice given, the College's Senior Leadership team has approved the recommendation of the College's Health and Safety Committee to ban all Caffeinated Energy Drinks from our campus between the hours of 8.30am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. A student found with such a product will have it removed by a College staff member and disposed of, open or unopen. This policy will start on 28 April 2025, the start of Term 2.

Banned brands include V, Red Bull, Lift Plus, Monster, Mother, and others.