Call to ban soft drink sales to under 18s

[All for Women]

GOVERNMENT'S have been urged to consider banning the sale of caffeinated soft drinks to children following new Australian research showing caffeine only increases addictiveness.

Read More... (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21028099-2,00.html?from=public_rss )

[Sonnie]

Yes, I totally agree 100%.

[Heather]

Oh look....we Mum's have known that for ages.
I do agree in principle, but I have said before....I do not wish to live in a draconian society.
If more parents gave their children water or milk then .......
Hold on.....I only gave my son water, milk or juice until he was about 8 or 9 and I now do not buy any soft drink as he cannot stop at one (eg. last time I bought Coke on special he drank 36 cans in less than a week).
I think that parents should have the final say in their childrens' consumption of soft drinks, not the government. It is wrong to expect anybody else to act as locum parentis.

[Naomi]

I agree with Heather. I think it's a good idea to reduce the amount of soft drink kids consume (not just for caffeine but the empty calorie/massive sugar intake too) but I don't think it's necessarily the Govt's role to enforce it. At some point parents DO have to take responsibility.

And let's face it, there will still be parents who buy soft drinks for their kids, just as there will still be parents who don't.

I just don't think the government should try to micromanage families like this. They should be doing something realistic, like limiting advertising of soft drinks and junk food during family viewing hours on television ... that would be far more helpful for parents who are trying to instill good nutritional values in their kids.

Or if they are serious about the caffeine issue, why not regulate the addition of caffeine to drinks rather than regulate the sale of the drinks?

[Heather]

Hear, hear.

[mel35]

I agree with what both Heather and Naomi have said.

So would it only be illegal to sell to a minor or to supply to a minor. If only the former then it would be very easy for teens to get someone else to buy it for them, defeating the whole purpose.

I'm pretty sure they have banned the sale of soft drinks in schools already (don't quote me tho I'm not 100% sure).

My kids very rarely have softdrink only special occassions and then it is usually the natural lemonade one. I don't even buy cordial or juice anymore, they drink water and milk and thats pretty much it. They think I'm so mean:P

[Sonnie]

I suppose I'm lucky my kids don't like soft drink. Maybe because I have never had it in the house. To me it tastes like poison, and I dislike the stuff with a passion. But you ladies are probably right it should be up to the parents, maybe. My only worry is some parents just let their kids drink gallons of the stuff and they just don't think there is anything wrong with it. So yes I agree with you too Naomi.