TEACHERS are to campaign for a ban on the sale of energy drinks to pupils under the age of 16 as a result of health fears.
The move comes after a raft of concerns over the impact on young people of drinks that are high in caffeine and sugar. Teachers believe pupils who consume high-energy drinks can experience mood swings shortly after drinking them and as the caffeine wears off, it leads to difficulties in the classroom.
The EIS AGM also heard pupils were drinking the cans on their way to school.
Phillip Pearce, from the Edinburgh local association of the EIS, said: "These drinks ... give you a large amount of sugar and caffeine. The manufacturers say they are not suitable for children, but they are very popular with pupils even in primary schools.
"Parents have told us they cannot stop their children drinking these cans, but we believe we can have success by persuading shops to stop selling these drinks to pupils who are under 16."
Delegates backed a motion calling for the EIS to campaign for all stores to ban their sale to pupils.
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