The Balearic Islands are tightening protections for young people: the regional government has approved a decree that would ban the sale of energy drinks to under-18s. At the same time, the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use is also set to be prohibited. Serious breaches could result in fines of up to €60,000.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
On Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, the rules surrounding energy drinks could soon change significantly. The Balearic government has approved a new decree law aimed at protecting public health, which would ban the sale and supply of energy drinks to under-18s.
The measures would apply across the entire autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. This would mean a higher minimum age for purchasing energy drinks on the islands than under the nationwide rules currently being discussed in Spain. At the same time, the regional government is also targeting the growing recreational use of nitrous oxide.
However, the new rules are not yet definitively in force. The approved decree must first be confirmed by the Balearic Parliament. Only then will the new regulations officially take effect.
Energy drinks for under-18s could soon be a thing of the past
The most important part of the new rules concerns energy drinks. In future, the sale or supply of these drinks to anyone under the age of 18 is set to be prohibited in the Balearic Islands.
However, the rules would not apply to all caffeinated drinks. Instead, they target non-alcoholic beverages with a high caffeine content that typically also contain stimulating ingredients such as taurine, guarana or glucuronolactone.
Regular sports and isotonic drinks are not automatically covered by the definition. The government explicitly distinguishes between energy drinks and beverages designed to provide hydration and electrolytes during physical activity.
For shops, kiosks, bars and other retailers, this would mean a clear age restriction if the rules come into force: anyone under the age of 18 would no longer be able to buy or receive the relevant energy drinks.
Fines of up to €60,000
The new rules become particularly significant when it comes to the potential penalties. Breaches are set to be classified as serious offences under the Balearic Islands’ law on drug addiction and other addictive disorders. The decree provides for fines ranging from €6,001 to €60,000.
The €60,000 figure represents the maximum possible fine and would not automatically apply to every individual sale to a minor. When determining the penalty, various factors would be taken into account, including the health impact, any financial benefit gained, the damage caused, the intent behind the offence and any previous violations.
For retailers, the planned regulation nevertheless represents a significant financial risk. This is precisely why age checks are likely to play a much greater role in future.
Why the government is taking action
The Balearic government is justifying the move primarily by pointing to the growing consumption of energy drinks among young people.
According to data from Spain’s 2023 ESTUDES survey, cited by the regional government, 47.7 per cent of students aged 14 to 18 had consumed energy drinks in the month before the survey. From the authorities’ perspective, particularly concerning is the combination with alcohol: 19.5 per cent said they had mixed energy drinks with alcohol during the same period.
These drinks often contain high levels of caffeine and sugar, as well as other stimulants. The government points to potential health risks including sleep problems, increased nervousness and effects on the cardiovascular system. In the longer term, it also highlights possible links to obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorders.
The authorities are particularly concerned about the combined consumption of energy drinks and alcohol. Caffeine can make people feel less intoxicated, even though it does not reduce their actual blood alcohol concentration or the impairment of their motor skills. According to the authorities, this may encourage people to consume more alcohol and make it harder to recognise when someone is intoxicated.
Nitrous oxide also comes under scrutiny
However, the new decree is not limited to energy drinks. At the same time, the Balearic government wants to take stronger action against the recreational use of nitrous oxide (N₂O). The substance, commonly known as “laughing gas”, is sometimes inhaled outside medical settings to produce short-lived intoxicating and euphoric effects.
In future, the sale, supply and advertising of nitrous oxide for recreational inhalation are set to be banned in the Balearic Islands. Access to the substance for minors is also expected to be restricted further.
It is important to make a clear distinction here: nitrous oxide is not being banned outright. Medical, dental and hospital uses will remain permitted. Its use in the food industry and for industrial purposes is also expected to remain legal. The new rules are specifically aimed at the commercial use of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug.
Health risks associated with nitrous oxide
The government also points to the health risks associated with nitrous oxide. Recreational use can lead to loss of consciousness, impaired coordination, accidents and oxygen deprivation. Repeated use can also cause a functional vitamin B12 deficiency.
Potential effects range from abnormal sensations and coordination problems to neurological, cognitive and psychiatric disorders.
The authorities are particularly monitoring the use of nitrous oxide in nightlife settings and in areas heavily frequented by tourists. This makes the new legislation especially significant for the Balearic Islands, given their status as an international party and holiday destination.
Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera affected
The planned rules would not apply only to Mallorca. The entire autonomous community of the Balearic Islands would be affected:
Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera.
This means the new rules would apply to both the major holiday resorts and smaller towns and tourist areas across the islands.
The issue is likely to be particularly relevant for retailers and operators of bars, clubs, kiosks and other sales outlets in Mallorca and Ibiza. The consumption of energy drinks and other stimulants plays a notable role there, particularly in nightlife settings.
The Balearic Islands are taking a particularly strict approach to the age limit
The planned age limit is also notable when compared with the Spanish central government’s proposals. In February 2026, Madrid announced plans for nationwide rules under which energy drinks would generally not be sold to under-16s. For drinks with particularly high caffeine content, the age limit would be raised to 18. The proposed threshold is more than 32 milligrams of caffeine per 100 millilitres.
The Balearic Islands are therefore going a step further with their current decree: the sale of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 18 would be prohibited across the board.
The development is part of a broader debate in Spain. Other autonomous regions have also introduced or announced stricter regulations. In Galicia, for example, extensive new rules concerning energy drinks and other products aimed at young people have been in place since 2026.
No final ban yet
For consumers and retailers, one point is particularly important: the new ban is not yet final. The Balearic Islands’ Council of Government has approved the decree law, but it still needs to be confirmed by the regional parliament. Only then can the new rules fully come into effect.
Anyone currently buying an energy drink in Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca or Formentera should therefore not assume that the new age restriction is already in force. However, that could change in the foreseeable future.
What does this mean for holidaymakers?
For adult holidaymakers, the planned regulation will initially change very little. Anyone aged 18 or over will still be able to buy energy drinks.
Tourists also do not need to worry that medical nitrous oxide or its use in the food industry will suddenly be banned altogether. The planned restrictions specifically target recreational use through inhalation.
For families travelling with teenagers, however, the situation would be different. Once the rules come into force, under-18 holidaymakers on the Balearic Islands would no longer be able to buy or otherwise obtain an energy drink from a shop, kiosk or other point of sale.
The responsibility will primarily lie with retailers and other sellers. They will have to ensure that the new age restrictions are complied with.
Another step to tackle risks in nightlife
The Balearic Islands’ decision is part of a broader trend. Spain’s autonomous regions are increasingly focusing on energy drink consumption among young people and the potential consequences of combining these beverages with alcohol.
For the Balearic Islands, there is an additional factor: the particular importance of nightlife and international tourism.
With the new decree, the regional government is therefore seeking to tackle two different trends at the same time: the growing consumption of highly caffeinated drinks among minors and the recreational use of nitrous oxide.
If the regional parliament approves the regulation, the sale of energy drinks to under-18s in the Balearic Islands could soon become a thing of the past. For retailers, the new rules would mean additional obligations and a significant risk of sanctions, while young people would face a much higher barrier to accessing these products.
The final political hurdle has not yet been cleared, however. The decree has been approved, but final confirmation by the Balearic Parliament is still pending.
