In seemingly yet another potential legal wrinkle for online influencer Logan Paul, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged on regulators to look into Paul’s influencer-made energy drink that has almost twice as much caffeine as a Red Bull and is allegedly being sold to youngsters.
The Food and Drug Administration should look into PRIME, a beverage company founded by Paul and his business partner KSI last year, according to Schumer, because of its high caffeine concentration.
“Buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets,” Schumer said.
The neon-colored cans, which claim to be vegan and sugar-free, are among a rising number of energy drinks with high amounts of caffeine; in the case of PRIME, this equates to 200 mg per 12 ounces, or over half a dozen Coke cans or nearly two Red Bulls.
When several pediatricians in the United Kingdom and Australia warned of potential health effects on young children, such as heart difficulties, anxiety, and digestive issues, some schools in those countries banned the material due to its high content.
PRIME Energy is not suggested for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or nursing, or anyone who are sensitive to caffeine, according to a disclaimer on the company’s website.
In comparable packaging, PRIME also offers a hydration beverage without caffeine. According to Schumer, the two beverages’ marketing and packaging were so similar that parents were unintentionally purchasing the highly caffeinated energy drinks for their kids.
“Because the product is billed as a hydration and sports drink in its other, near identical form, kids are likely to ingest cans of this stuff with the parents being unaware,” the senator added.
Paul has taken PRIME to his recent venture as a performer in wrestling promotion WWE. In the company’s recent premium live event, the influencer drank a bottle of PRIME in the middle of a match. Paul also had a PRIME-designed mascot, which turned out to be KSI, accompany him during his match at WWE’s most popular premium live event, Wrestlemania.
The drink has also become the official sports drink of the mixed martial arts promotion UFC.
The call for investigation comes as Paul announced his engagement to girlfriend Nina Agdal.
Earlier this year, Paul and his co-founders of the NFT scheme CryptoZoo were sued by a police officer representing a class action, alleging fraud, contract breaches, and unjust enrichment against the influencer and his digital platform.
The lawsuit stems from the debacle that is Paul’s NFT gamified platform CryptoZoo that allegedly never materialized. It was designed to allow users to breed, collect, and trade exotic animal hybrids on the blockchain. Each animal was supposed to be treated as an NFT and the game’s ecosystem was to use CryptoZoo-exclusive tokens, ZOO.
The once-promising idea, which had started getting investment from retail crypto through its ecosystem’s digital asset, ended with a game that has never been played, losing actual money in the process for investors.
Information for this briefing was found via Reuters, MSNBC, the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
