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Logan Paul and KSI with Prime Hydration bottles prior to the regular season game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers on March 31, 2023, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Brandon Slaughter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Brandon Slaughter | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called on the Food and Drug Administration to look into a sports energy drink founded by social media influencers that has become popular with children and teens.
Prime, founded by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, quickly gained an enthusiastic following after launching in 2022 and has become The official partner of Futbol FC Barcelona This month. The brand offers a bottled water drink and a canned energy drink, which are said to not be intended for children.
In a statement released Monday, Schumer’s office described the energy drink as a “cauldron of caffeine.”
Schumer Books, DN.Y. Robert Califf, in a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf: “Many physicians are deeply concerned about Prime, and I am writing to specifically urge your agency to investigate Prime due to its allegations, marketing and caffeine content.” Prime drinks have exploded onto social media platforms, such as TikTok, which itself is under intense regulatory scrutiny in Washington.
Prime Energy Drink contains 200 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce serving, compared to 34 mg in a 12-ounce can. coca cola and 80 mg in an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull, according to Schumer’s letter. several countries, including Australia, South Africa, United KingdomAnd Canada And New Zealand It has already banned Prime Energy Drinks or their decaffeinated version, Prime Hydration, in some schools.
Schumer urged Calif to launch an investigation based on doctors’ warnings to parents who say the caffeine content “can have a negative effect on children’s health” as well as ads aimed at younger demographics. He wrote that the company’s lack of adequate warnings about its caffeine content also warranted scrutiny.
“A simple social media search for Prime will generate a surprising amount of sponsored content, namely ads,” Schumer wrote. “This content and the claims made must be investigated, along with the ingredients and caffeine content of Prime Energy Drink.”
A company representative told CNBC that Prime Energy “has a similar amount of caffeine to other best-selling energy drinks, all within the legal limits of the countries in which it’s sold,” and that it welcomes discussions with the FDA on customer protection.
Prime Energy “complied with all FDA guidelines before it hit the market and clearly states on the packaging, as well as in the marketing materials, that it is an energy drink and is not manufactured for anyone under the age of 18,” the representative said.
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