Listeners Labelled This Call On Energy Drink Addiction "Heartbreaking"

30 August 2018, 09:26

After retelling the tragic story of his son's addiction and suicide, this father called for a total ban on energy drinks.

With the government planning to ban children in England from buying energy drinks after concerns about their impact on health and behaviour, Nick received a call from someone with a tragic personal experience.

Kerion Bartholomew's son Justin took his own life after an energy drink "addiction."

He told the LBC presenter: "My son was 25 years-old and he was consuming up to 15 cans of energy drinks a day. And because a break up of his marriage [the year before,] he was suffering from depression.

"After three months [of drinking in excess of 15 cans,] he took his own life.

"It was the morning kick, like having a cup of coffee, but Justin used to come into work with a plastic bag full of them... He was on a high during the day... but the come down off the energy drinks was too much.

"In my mind a total ban on this drink would be better."

A consultation is beginning which could see the sale of the sugary beverages prohibited to either under-16s or under-18s in England.

The issue is not just about sugar content but also health issues, with the high levels of caffeine in the drinks often blamed for sleep problems, stomach aches, headaches and hyperactivity.