Phnom Penh: To avoid the negative impact of sweetened and energy drinks on public health and social welfare of the next generations, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet re-appealed for attention to the sale of those drinks at school. ‘If we are careless, when our young children grow up to 30 years old, they will become a burden to our social welfare,’ he said at the closing ceremony of the annual meeting of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, held at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia here this afternoon.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet in December 2024 emphasised the importance of prioritising student health and reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, which are linked to the consumption of sugary foods, sweetened beverages, and energy drinks.

After that, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports issued a directive banning the consumption, distribution, display, and commercialisation of all types of energy drink products in the public and private schools as well as technical education institutions.