MSPs from across the Holyrood chamber have come together to tell schools to can potentially dangerous energy drinks.
Mark Ruskell, the Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, had lodged a motion at the Scottish Parliament backing our Can It campaign.
Despite being so fresh it is not even on the official website, it has attracted support from his fellow party member Alison Johnstone, Conservative Alexander Burnett, and SNP members Ivan McKee, David Torrance, Colin Beattie and Sandra White.
Mr Ruskell said: “This excellent campaign will strike a chord with the many parents and teachers who have to deal with the negative effects of caffeine loaded energy drinks being consumed by young people every day.
“If schools and parents get fully behind this campaign we can create a big difference in young people’s school days.
“It’s important that healthier food and drink choices are available and exciting to young people in school and there are great examples where pupils have designed their own menus.
“Banning caffeine loaded energy drinks is another important step to creating a food culture in our schools that promotes health and learning.”
Shona Robison, the Health Secretary and Dundee City East MSP, lent her support to the campaign when we launched it on Wednesday.
Due to the fact she is a minister, she cannot sign Mr Ruskell’s motion but the number of politicians backing our bid is expected to swell in the coming days.
The motion reads: “That the Parliament supports the Can It campaign being launched across Tayside and Fife by The Courier; notes that the campaign aims to prevent schoolchildren from consuming excess quantities of energy drinks, which often contain extremely high quantities of caffeine, which can lead to disruptive behaviour, cardiac problems, nervousness, insomnia, headaches and anxiety, and calls on schools and parents to support the campaign to promote young people’s health, concentration and education by banning them from consuming such drinks in schools.”
For more on the campaign, click here.
