Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said the energy drink “Prime” was found to contain 200 milligrams of caffeine, equivalent to six or two cans of Coke. It is asking the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the effects of the drink on children. can of Red Bull. YouTube influencers Logan His Paul and His KSI founded PRIME last year and it has quickly grown in popularity among young consumers.
PRIME’s disclaimer is as follows: site It says it is “not recommended for children under the age of 18,” but long lines at grocery stores suggest consumers are not following the recommendations.
“One of the hottest status symbols of summer for kids isn’t clothes or toys, it’s drinks,” Schumer said at a news conference in Manhattan on Sunday. new york post report. “But buyers and parents should be careful, as there are serious health concerns for the children we are targeting so eagerly,” he added.
The company sells an alternative to caffeine-rich products called PRIME Hydration, which is caffeine-free. But Schumer said the packaging was too similar to other caffeine-free sports drinks and was packaged “in much the same way.”
Marketing products on Paul’s and KSI’s platforms (with a total of 47.7 million followers) makes it easier to reach mass audiences, including many younger viewers. “And the problem here is that this product has as much caffeine as Red Bull does,” Schumer said at a news conference.
In an emailed statement to Gizmodo, a PRIME spokesperson said the company received FDA approval prior to launch and complied with statutory caffeine limits in all countries where it is sold. rice field.It complies with all FDA guidelines before it goes on the market, and its packaging and marketing materials clearly state that it is an energy drink and not intended for people under the age of 18,” the spokesperson said. Stated.
Moderate amounts of caffeine are not considered particularly harmful, but the FDA warns that too much caffeine can endanger the health of children, especially young children.of American Academy of Pediatrics Children under the age of 12 should be encouraged to consume caffeine, and children ages 12 to 18 should not consume more than 100 mg of caffeine daily, which is half a can of PRIME. According to the FDA, too much caffeine can cause insomnia, irritability, anxiety, a fast heart rate, nausea, headaches, and discomfort.
Some schools in the United States have gone so far as to ban PRIME for students, and in school emails that KSI is said to have reposted on Twitter, students who bring drinks into the school will be confiscated and sold to other students. I was told that it was a just cause. Exile. KSI I have written: “There was a bold move in one school to ban Prime, leaving students dehydrated. I’ll put it in a truck and send it to you.”
PRIME is banned in some countries, including Australia and the UK, and one Welsh boy reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest after consuming the energy drink. “This morning, a parent reported that their child had a heart attack after drinking a Prime energy drink over the weekend,” the school said. Yorkshire Evening Post report. “The child needed to be inflated and is better now, but parents wanted us to share this as a reminder of the potential harmful effects,” it added. .
A PRIME spokesperson said the company’s “top priority is consumer safety” and that it is “open to discussions with the FDA and other organizations on proposed industry changes we believe are needed to protect consumers.” welcome,” he added.
In a letter to the FDA, Schumer urged an investigation into PRIME, citing “not enough warnings about caffeine content on websites, despite eye-popping amounts.” . Gothamist report. “Again, I would ask your agency to investigate PRIME’s overall claims, marketing and caffeine content and take PRIME’s target children’s market seriously as part of its research. I urge you to.”
Update: June 10th 10:59pm Added statement from PRIME spokesperson.
