We, the undersigned Texas educators and school staff, urge the Texas Legislature to enact age‑based restrictions on the sale of energy drinks to minors. Medical authorities including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC warn that energy drinks pose significant health risks to children and adolescents. Excessive caffeine intake has been linked to anxiety, sleep disruption, heart complications, emergency room visits, and impaired learning. We support establishing a minimum purchase age of 16–18 years old and additional safeguards for students during the school day to protect youth health and educational outcomes. By signing this petition, we respectfully request legislative action to place reasonable limits on youth access to energy drinks in Texas. Letter to Texas State Congress: Subject: Protecting Texas Students Through Age Restrictions on Energy Drink Sales Dear Honorable Members of the Texas Legislature, We write as Texas educators and school staff to urge you to consider legislation restricting the sale of energy drinks to minors, with a proposed minimum purchase age of 16–18 years old, and additional protections for students during the school day. Energy drinks are widely marketed to youth yet contain dangerously high levels of caffeine and other stimulants that are not recommended for children or adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has stated that “caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents.” [publications.aap.org] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30–50% of adolescents report consuming energy drinks, and energy drinks have been linked to 1,400+ emergency department visits among youth in a single year related to caffeine adverse effects. Additionally, national hospital data shows that caffeine‑related emergency visits for middle and high school–aged children more than doubled between 2017 and 2023. [cdc.gov] [epicresearch.org] Medical experts warn that excessive caffeine intake in youth can cause: -Heart rhythm disturbances and elevated blood pressure
-Anxiety, agitation, and panic symptoms
-Sleep disruption that interferes with learning and behavior
-Difficulty with attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Johns Hopkins Medicine advise that adolescents should consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine per day, yet many popular energy drinks contain 150–300 mg in a single can, and students often consume more than one per day. [hopkinsmedicine.org], [texashealth.org] As educators, we are increasingly seeing students arrive at school overstimulated, anxious, and exhausted after consuming energy drinks—sometimes multiple per day—due to their unrestricted availability at convenience stores near school campuses. These products are inexpensive, aggressively marketed, and sold alongside sports drinks, which creates confusion about their safety. Texas has long supported age‑based safeguards for products that pose health risks to minors. Energy drinks warrant similar regulation. Establishing a minimum purchase age of 16 or 18 would provide families and schools critical support while still preserving adult access. We respectfully encourage the Legislature to consider: -Setting a minimum age requirement for purchasing energy drinks
-Prohibiting sales of energy drinks to students during the school day
-Requiring clear caffeine content labeling and health warnings
-Supporting public education on caffeine use and adolescent health
-These are reasonable, evidence‑based protections, not a ban on consumer choice. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to the health, safety, and academic success of Texas students. Respectfully, Texas Educators and School Staff