The sale of energy drinks to individuals under 18 will be banned in Armenia. The National Assembly has approved, in the second reading and in full, amendments to the “Law on Trade and Services.”

According to co-author of the bill, Alkhas Ghazaryan, the initiative aims to safeguard public health and promote a healthy lifestyle among young people, reports Sputnik Armenia.

During the January 20 session of the National Assembly, Ghazaryan presented the draft, noting that it proposes defining the term "energy drink" and prohibiting their sale to individuals under 18. The draft also includes measures to restrict advertising for these products and introduces administrative penalties for violations of these restrictions.

Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan emphasized: “The underlying rationale is that short-term economic benefits are subordinated to long-term ones, as public health is considered a long-term tool from an economic perspective.”

The minister stated that public health takes precedence over the short-term economic profits that could arise from increased sales of energy drinks.