The Canadian Beverage Association is calling out the Quebec government’s intention to introduce legislation on energy drinks that is not based on science.
The scientific evidence is clear. Health Canada’s own 2021 review concluded that moderate consumption of a typical energy drink (up to 500 mL per day) is not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular effects in healthy adults and adolescents, and that existing reference values for both caffeine and taurine are adequate to manage cardiovascular safety. In March 2026, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) completed the most authoritative safety assessment of caffeine from all dietary sources — including energy drinks — and found no scientific basis to support an age ban for those under 18.
We ask that Quebec legislators table the peer-reviewed evidence they claim supports this ban and show Quebecers where it has been published. The political discourse on energy drinks misrepresents the science and ignores the conclusions of the world’s leading independent food safety regulators.