The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) issued a directive on December 10, 2024, prohibiting the consumption, distribution, display, sale and advertising of all types of energy drinks in and around public and private general education institutions and technical institutions.

The directive follows the failure of the institutions to fully implement the guidelines.

The ban was imposed after Prime Minister Hun Manet on the morning of December 10, 2024, directed MoEYS and the Ministry of Health to inspect the sale of snacks in schools to prevent diabetes among students.

A day earlier, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the University of Health Sciences Hospital, he expressed concern over the prevalence of diabetes, particularly among individuals aged 30 to 40. 

He called on both ministries to review, educate, monitor, and regulate the sale of food in schools to ensure the well-being of young children. 

“I have seen kids drinking three cans of energy drinks a day and parents giving their children these drinks because they feel sorry for them or that their child likes sweets,” he said. 

“When I went to Kampong Phluk, a 60-year-old boat owner drank six cans of Carabao [a brand of energy drink],” he added.

In line with the ban, MoEYS and educational institutions must strictly implement the regulations on food safety and healthy eating.

In addition, a declaration will be added to the internal regulations or code of conduct of educational institutions to prohibit the acceptance of donations, and distribution, display and advertising of all types of energy drinks in and around the premises of educational institutions.

Relevant parties must monitor the consumption, distribution and display of energy drinks and have measures to address and monitor the situation, including the termination of sales contracts.

According to the Clinton Health Access Initiative, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and hypertension, are among the leading causes of illness and mortality in Cambodia. In fact, NCDs are responsible for 23% of all premature deaths in Cambodia.

In early July 2024, Kantha Bopha Hospital found nearly 700 children with Type 1 diabetes due to the lack of insulin in the body or the pancreas was not producing enough of it. The disease occurs in children between five and 10, and experts do not know the exact cause yet.

Father of two, Yem Sarin, whose children attend Kolab Primary School, wants energy drinks to be removed from school premises and replaced with healthier, non-processed food options.

“They’re still drinking energy drinks in small cups,” Sarin said, pointing at children holding cups in their hand in the school.

However, ensuring change would require significant efforts from the school principal. “If the principal wants to hold a meeting with parents or anything like that, I’m willing to join. I want to talk to him about this issue,” he added.

Many children are affected due to consumption of energy drinks. “These days people suffer from various diseases. Some even have diabetes,” he lamented.

To prevent his children from buying energy drinks, Sarin does not give them pocket money, but as long as they are still sold in school, his children will find a way to get them.

“I just pack porridge for them and don’t give them money, but I think, somehow, they’ll be able to have it with their friends if the drinks are still sold [in school],” he said.

Sok Sopheap, whose children also attend the same school, shared similar concerns. “Some vendors open the energy drinks and pour them into small cups, selling each for 500 riel, which makes it easy for children to buy,” she said.

“It would be better if they didn’t sell them at all,” she added.

Sopheap expressed hope that vendors would sell healthier beverages made from fruit instead of energy drinks.

“Drinks made from passion fruit or lemon tea are much better than carbonated drinks. Even if they contain sugar, it’s not as much as what was in canned drinks,” she said.

Sopheap also spoke about her children’s eating habits. “I’ll occasionally allow it [energy drinks] if my kids beg me for those drinks, but not every day. If these drinks are available in school, they could drink them daily without me knowing,” she added.

Thus, the ban by MoEYS on the sale and advertisement of sugary drinks in public schools is a positive step. “Although there hasn’t been much progress, it still gives parents a sense of comfort,” she said.

Leng Srey Aun, a teacher at Sok San Primary School in Banteay Meanchey province, told CamboJA News that the ministry’s guidance was a good thing, as it is educational and prevents children from consuming energy drinks. In addition, other stakeholders must also participate in preventing, educating, and promoting, and implementing it.

She also observed that children are easily swayed and do not understand the effects of these drinks, noting that there are wide advertisements of new sweet and flavored energy drinks in the market. It is one of the reasons why children are more likely to buy them.

“When children drink a lot of sweet drinks, it will jeopardize their health and cause diabetes or other problems because they contain sugar. Many might have diabetes,” Srey Aun said.

In the school she teaches, there are no energy drink vendors because there are restrictions, and students are instructed not to drink sweet drinks, but to drink plenty of water. Srey Aun hopes that the government ban is long-term. “Please take strict measures and do not promote canned drinks.”

Meanwhile, Bouy Channy, a teacher at Sorya Primary School in Poipet, found that the measures taken by the ministry are good at restricting vendors in schools, and for considering the health of students who are not aware of future health challenges.

“I want the ministry and stakeholders to urge schools not to sell these drinks because vendors are still selling them around the campus,” said Channy. 

She added that the school principal had strictly told vendors not to sell high-sugar drinks on school premises, but they continued to do so. Therefore, teachers had to tell students to stop consuming those drinks.

“We advise them not to eat any food that is harmful to health. As for the vendors, they continue to sell even though they have been called in for a discussion.”

Khoun Vicheka, MoEYS spokesperson, did not respond to calls as well as questions via Telegram. 

Koy Vanny, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Health, told CamboJA News that the ministry cooperates with MoEYS to advocate to the public about the threat of NCDs. Besides providing training to the department of education in provinces, it also launched a public health campaign to remind people to eat healthy food.

“We have done a lot with MoEYS. We also issue reminders to the public, including teachers to advise students [on the risks of unhealthy eating habits],” he said. When high-calorie foods are consumed, humans can become prone to NCDs, such as diabetes, cancer and obesity. Hence the reason why energy and sweetened drinks should be avoided.

“Our people eat a lot of calories. As long as high calories enter the body, so does sugar. People tend to crave sweet food, such as energy drinks, which contain substances that increase the sugar level of the body, causing obesity, high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes,” Vanny said. 

In Cambodia, NCDs account for 64% of deaths, and those aged 30 to 70 have a 23% chance of dying from one of the four major NCDs. In order to consolidate and enhance current cross-agency NCD programs, the research recommends the establishment of a national multi-sectoral NCD coordination mechanism.

Regarding this, Yong Kim Eng, president of the People’s Center for Development and Peace, said the ministry’s guidelines are aimed at preventing the consumption of energy drinks which can cause diabetes.

So, ensuring the effectiveness of the implementation of measures and prohibitions in schools across the country is necessary. At the same time, MoEYS and the Ministry of Health should publicize the challenges and consequences of excessive consumption of energy drinks.

“The ministry should take strict measures against those who violate the guidelines. It cannot be effective if there is no broad participation in the implementation,” Kim Eng said.

Energy drink companies should refrain from commercial practices which exploit consumers by giving away free drinks to promote their products. Consumers do not think about health aspects when there is excessive advertising.

“It is an attractive advertisement and people accept it, so it is not charity, although they advertise under the guise of humanity,” he added.