By Taylor Katzel, CBC News Kids, with comments from Dr. Nicholas Chadi, June 17, 2026
Some teens in Quebec may have a harder time staying up to study for exams next year, but their government says it’s for the best.
On June 11, Quebec became the first province in Canada to ban the sale of energy drinks for those under 16 due to harmful effects the drinks can have on young people.
Bill 9, which comes into effect in six months, means that shop owners will have to ask for ID when selling classic drinks like Red Bull and Monster.
The law, also known as the Zachary Miron Act, was named after Zachary Miron, a 15-year-old teen from Blainville, Quebec, who died after drinking a Red Bull. The caffeine interacted with his ADHD medication and affected his heart.
But how exactly are they bad for you?
Energy drinks tend to carry a lot more caffeine and sugar than most beverages.
“Even with just one drink, you’re often exceeding the daily caffeine maximum for a young person,” said Nicholas Chadi, a pediatrician at CHU Sainte-Justine, a children’s hospital in Montreal, Quebec.
That maximum is around 100 milligrams for teens and much less for kids, he said. (Full story here)
Nicholas Chadi MD MPH 
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