NEW YORK — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday called on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to investigate the high-caffeine content of an energy drink that has become popular among children and teens.
Schumer, D-N.Y., wants the federal agency to investigate PRIME, a drink backed by popular YouTube influencers Logan Paul and KSI, USA Today reported. The drinks, which come in brightly colored bottles and cans, are vegan and contain electrolytes and few calories.
They also contain more than six times the amount of caffeine as a similarly sized can or bottle of Coca-Cola, and that is what concerns Schumer, CNN reported.
In a letter to the FDA, Schumer claims the drink is being targeted as “one of the summer’s hottest beverages for kids.”
Schumer also alleged that unclear marketing targeting young people leads parents to buy a “cauldron of caffeine” for their kids, The Associated Press reported.
“One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy -- it’s a beverage,” Schumer wrote. “But buyers and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.”
During a news conference on Sunday in New York, Schumer said that PRIME “has an eye-popping level of caffeine,” and “that’s giving parents and doctors the jitters for kids that are targets.”
“Here’s the other problem,” Schumer said. “Most parents haven’t even heard of this stuff that their kids are begging for.
“PRIME is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers. Kids see it on their phones as they scroll and then they actually have a need for it.”
According to its website, PRIME, which was launched by Paul and KSI last year, was developed to “fill the void where great taste meets function.”
“With bold, thirst-quenching flavors to help you refresh, replenish, and refuel, PRIME is the perfect boost for any endeavor,” the website states.
According to the AP, PRIME states it has 300 milligrams of electrolytes and no sugar in each 12-ounce bottle or can. However, the drink also has 200 milligrams of caffeine, which equals six cans of Coke or two Red Bull drinks, the news organization reported.
Representatives for PRIME have stated that the product is clearly labeled as “not recommended for children under 18,” according to the AP. The company said it sells a drink with no caffeine called PRIME Hydration.
In an emailed statement, representatives for PRIME said it was “important to make the distinction between the two products because they are vastly different.”
“We started PRIME last year with the launch of Hydration, a healthier sports drink alternative that comes in a bottle. PRIME Energy, sold in a can, dropped in 2023 and contains a comparable amount of caffeine to other top-selling energy drinks, all falling within the legal limit of the countries it’s sold in,” the statement said. “It complied with all FDA guidelines before hitting the market and states clearly on packaging, as well as in marketing materials, that it is an energy drink and is not made for anyone under the age of 18.
“As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers.”
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is recommended that children under the age of 12 should not consume caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks or other products, CNN reported. Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 should limit their caffeine to less than 100 milligrams daily, according to the cable news outlet.
“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising,” Schumer wrote in his letter to the FDA, according to the AP. “This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”