Prime: Top US senator calls for probe into

KSI and Logan Paul energy drink

IMAGE SOURCE,PRIME
Logan Paul and KSI have around 48 million YouTube followers between them

By Annabelle Liang
Business reporter
BBC 10th July 2023
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66150857

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called on regulators to investigate an

energy drink promoted by high-profile YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul.
Mr Schumer alleges the drink is being targeted at children despite its high caffeine
content.
Prime Energy contains 200mg of caffeine per can, which is around twice the amount in
rival energy drink Red Bull.
Each drink carries a warning stating that it is not recommended for children under the
age of 18.
However Mr Schumer, a Democrat, alleged that Prime Energy was packaged and
marketed "in near identical form" as a caffeine-free drink from the brand.
As a result, some parents had unknowingly bought the caffeinated drink for their children,
he told reporters in New York on Sunday.
"The FDA [Food and Drug Administration] must investigate PRIME for its absurd caffeine
content and its marketing targeting kids on social media," he later said on Twitter.
Prime did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Caffeine-free Prime Hydration drinks
In 2022, Logan Paul and KSI - who have around 48 million YouTube followers between
them - launched the caffeine-free Prime Hydration drink.
It quickly became an online sensation, sparking long queues and even headfirst dives
into shelves at stores.
The caffeinated Prime Energy drink was launched in January this year. It is promoted by
the company as being sugar-free and vegan.
A warning on each can of the drink states that it is not recommended for children under
the age of 18, people who are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women or women who are
breastfeeding.

How much caffeine is in energy drinks?

• Prime Energy - 200mg (355ml can)
• Red Bull - 80mg (250ml)
• Monster - 160mg (473ml)
• Nos - 160mg (473ml)
• Burn - 112mg (354ml)
• Rockstar - 300mg (473ml)
• Lucozade - 46mg (380ml)
• Coca Cola original - 32mg (330ml)

Source: caffeineinformer.com

Some schools around the world have sent out warnings about Prime drinks or banned
them altogether.
Earlier this year, the Milton Primary School in Newport, Wales sent a message to parents
warning them not to confuse the caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions of the drink
after a pupil fell ill outside of school hours.
Meanwhile, the Maryborough State High School in Queensland, Australia issued a ban
on energy drinks.
"There are some new energy or hydration drinks that have recently hit the market... some
of which have 4 TIMES the caffeine or stimulant as 'regular' energy drinks," the school
said in a post on Facebook.
"These can cause significant concerns in students with (potentially unidentified) health
issues," it added.