St Patrick’s College in Wellington bans energy drinks

St Patrick’s College rector Mike Savali said that some students have been buying the drinks at a nearby supermarket and consuming them having had minimal or no breakfast.

There has been an uptick in students reporting to the college sick bay after drinking these products, saying they felt unwell, tired or had an upset stomach.

Mr Savali noted that high-sugar drinks often made students irritable, could cause high heart rates or palpitations, or could disrupt sleep patterns. 

The energy drink ban during school hours comes into place at the start of term 2. Among the drinks banned are brands such as V, Red Bull, Lift Plus, Monster and Mother. Students found with such a product will have it removed by a college staff member and disposed of, open or unopen.

Mr Savali acknowledged that there was nothing stopping students from consuming energy drinks before coming onto school grounds. But he hoped the ban would inspire them to be more “health conscious”.

The ban is about encouraging the students to think about what they were putting in their bodies and whether there was a healthier alternative, he said. Fizzy drinks, juice and flavoured milk will still be allowed at the school, but the college is particularly concerned about the effect of energy drinks and wanted to make change in small steps.

“This one we feel we can monitor and control,” Mr Savali said.

FULL STORY

St Patrick’s College bans energy drinks (By Melissa Nightingale/NZ Herald)