Balearic Islands Ban Energy Drinks for Minors and Recreational Nitrous Oxide

The Balearic Islands government approved a decree law prohibiting the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 18 and banning the recreational use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Violations will be fined between €6,001 and €60,000. Health counsellor Manuela García said the measures are "based on data and scientific evidence" and aim to protect youths during a critical period of brain and physical development.

According to the 2023 ESTUDES survey, 47.7% of 14‑ to 18‑year‑olds in the region consumed energy drinks in the past month, and one in five mixed them with alcohol. Officials link the drinks to sleep disturbances, hypertension, anxiety, tachycardia and increased alcohol‑related risk. The ban on nitrous oxide follows a rise in chronic use among 1.7% of young people, which García described as a "first‑order public‑health problem".

The new rules bring the Balearic Islands in line with Galicia, which introduced a similar restriction earlier this year, and other Spanish autonomous communities are reviewing comparable measures.