DELAWARE - Delaware students may have a little less access to their favorite caffeine boost at school.
Gov. Matt Meyer signed legislation Tuesday prohibiting the sale of energy drinks on public middle and high school campuses.
The new law applies to sales during the regular school day as well as school-sponsored activities and events.
At Lake Forest School District, Superintendent Dr. Steven Lucas said the new law will have little impact because the district was not selling energy drinks to students in the first place.
"We weren't selling these products prior to this law being passed," Lucas said. "We try to stay really in compliance with the USDA nutritional guidelines, which pretty sure prohibits the sale of these things anyway."
Lucas said the district's focus is on student health and making sure students are able to stay engaged in the classroom.
"Healthier students can pay closer attention, be more engaged in the school day, and any way that we can promote that, we're happy to do so," he said.
The new law would not apply to beverages containing caffeine brewed or steeped from coffee beans or tea leaves.
Energy drinks remain popular outside of school, particularly among people who use them for workouts or as a way to stay energized during the day.
Chuck Ilogbenu, who consumes energy drinks, said they have become a normal part of some people's routines.
"It's a norm for certain people and it helps them go about their day," Ilogbenu said.
Ilogbenu also acknowledged concerns about young people consuming too many energy drinks.
"At a younger age, I still feel like that much consumption of energy drink might be bad for you," he said.
Parents say the new restrictions could also give families another tool to monitor how much caffeine their children are consuming.
Paulina McCabe, a mother of young children, said schools limiting access could help parents keep track of their children's consumption.
"They can maybe have an idea of how many of these beverages their kids are getting versus them buying two or three in a given day," McCabe said. "So I think it's a good idea overall."
The law does not ban students from purchasing energy drinks elsewhere or bringing them onto school property. Instead, it specifically prohibits their sale on public middle and high school campuses during school hours and school events.
The legislation is expected to take effect immediately throughout the state.
