March 29—A proposal in Illinois to ban the sale of energy drinks to anyone younger than 18 years old will get a second reading before the State House this spring, making it the farthest any ban proposal has reached at the state level thus far.
House Bill 2379 would amend the Illinois Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to provide "that it is unlawful … for any person to sell, offer for sale or deliver an energy drink to a person under 18 years of age." The bill, introduced by State Representative Luis Arroyo (D), "defines 'energy drink' as any soft drink with a caffeine level of 6 mg or more per ounce."
A 24-ounce can of Monster Energy, for example, contains 240 milligrams of caffeine, while Red Bull contains 83 mg per 8.4 ounces.