Sen. Schumer asks FDA to look into PRIME, Logan Paul’s high-caffeine energy drink
Sen. Charles Schumer urged the Food and Drug Administration to investigate PRIME, a beverage brand founded by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, and warn parents about the drink and the high amount of caffeine it contains.
The brand has become very popular with teenagers and pre-teens, despite a label stating that the drink is “not recommended for children under 18 years of age.” A 12-oz. can of PRIME Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is equivalent to about half a dozen Coke cans or almost two Red Bulls.
“Who is the primary target of PRIME? It̵[ads1]7;s children under 18,” Schumer said Sunday.
In addition to PRIME Energy, the company also sells PRIME Hydration, which does not contain caffeine, according to PRIME’s website.
The Democratic lawmaker from New York said the company uses social media and advertisers to target children.
“Kids see it on their phones while they’re browsing, and then they actually have a need for it.” Schumer said. “And the problem here is that the product has so much caffeine in it that it puts Red Bull to shame.”
Overconsumption of caffeine can cause insomnia, tremors, anxiety, rapid heart rate, upset stomach, nausea, headache and a feeling of unhappiness, according to the FDA. The administration says that healthy adults can consume about 400 milligrams of caffeine a day without experiencing harmful, negative effects, but it has no set amount for children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says there is no proven safe dose of caffeine for children, and that children under 12 should try not to consume caffeine. The group also advises against children and teenagers using energy drinks and says that children aged 12-18 should not have more than 100mg of caffeine a day.
Some US schools have already banned PRIME. KSI replied to one ban last year on Twitter, writing: “To counter this blatant wrongdoing, we will be sending a truckload of Prime to this school and many other schools.”
In a statement, a PRIME representative told CBS News, “As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or other organizations about proposed industry changes they feel are necessary to protect consumers.”
The representative said that PRIME Energy “contains a comparable amount of caffeine to other best-selling energy drinks, all of which fall within the legal limit for the countries in which it is sold. It complied with all FDA guidelines before entering the market and is clearly stated on its packaging, as well as in marketing materials, that it is an energy drink and is not made for anyone under 18.”
