09 July 2023 , 19:50
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An energy drink hugely popular with young children is under fire over for containing the same amount of caffeine as six cans of Coke.
Sen. Charles Schumer called on the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate PRIME, an energy drinks brand founded by the YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI that has become an obsession among the influencers’ legions of young followers.
The drink is also popular in the UK and sells for around £5 a bottle.
“One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy, it’s a beverage,” said Schumer, a Democrat from New York. “But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.”
Backed by two of YouTube’s best known stars, PRIME was an immediate sensation when it launched last year, prompting long lines in grocery stores and reports of school yard resale markets.
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Advertising itself as zero sugar and vegan, PRIME has roughly the same caffeine as six cans of Coke.
That high content prompted bans from some schools in the United Kingdom and Australia where some paediatricians warned of possible health impacts on young children such as heart problems, anxiety, and digestive issues.
Company representatives, meanwhile, have defended the product as clearly labeled “not recommended for children under 18.”
They sell a separate sports drink, known as PRIME Hydration, which contains no caffeine at all. Representatives for PRIME did not immediately return a request for comment.
In his letter to the FDA, Schumer claimed there was little noticeable difference in the online marketing of the two drinks - leading many parents to believe they were purchasing a juice for their kids, only to wind up with a “cauldron of caffeine.”
“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising,” he wrote. “This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”