A highly caffeinated version of Prime Energy drink may not be sold in Canada, the regulator says
A highly caffeinated version of a new energy drink popularized by social media influencers is being sold in some stores in Canada, in violation of national health regulations.
Cans of Prime Energy, each containing 200 milligrams of caffeine, have been spotted on shelves in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, CBC News has learned.
That exceeds Health Canada’s limit by 20 milligrams.
“As a result, it cannot be sold in Canada,” a Health Canada spokesperson said in an email Tuesday.
It wasn’t immediately clear where those stores sourced the product, one of two drinks created by social media influencers Logan Paul and KSI.
Prime Energy was also sold on Walmart Canada’s online marketplace, but was removed after CBC News asked about it. Walmart says it has notified the third-party seller.
In an email, Prime said it follows regulations set by the countries it sells in. It said the Canadian version contains 140 milligrams of caffeine.
When asked about the presence of the US 200-milligram cans, Prime reiterated that it “complies with federal regulations.”
The company noted that the packaging states that Prime Energy is “an energy drink and not made for anyone under the age of 18.”
The president of the Canadian Beverage Association (CBA) says they are aware that people may be importing the drink and “bypassing standard food labeling and approval processes.”
“I honestly find it disappointing,” said Krista Scaldwell. “We want safety to be a top priority.”
She says most caffeinated drinks sold in Canada contain 80 milligrams of caffeine in a 250-milliliter can.
She says if anyone finds the product in stores, they should report it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
This comes after US Senator Chuck Schumer appealed to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to examine the drink on Sunday; raising concerns about caffeine content and what he characterized as targeted marketing to children.
Some pediatricians have said that children and teenagers should stay away of energy drinks, which are often on the shelves in a variety of fruity flavors and in cans with bright colors and interesting logos.
The large amounts of caffeine can cause a range of physical and psychological side effects.
The Health Canada recommended maximum caffeine intake for children up to age 18 is 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
What is Prime?
Paul and KSI co-founded Prime and released their first drink, Prime Hydration, last year.
Earlier this year, the company released Prime Energy, which in the US contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces — equivalent to six cans of Coca-Cola or about two to three cups of coffee.
CBC News spoke to several kids in Toronto about Prime, but none had tried the caffeinated version.
Claire Zimmerman, 12, said she’d only had Prime Hydration and thought it “wasn’t really good.”
She said she’d never seen it advertised to her on TikTok and didn’t know there was a caffeinated one.
Despite not liking it, after watching an ad, Zimmerman said she would try Prime Energy.
“They say it has caffeine in it, but they don’t describe it as tasting like it has caffeine in it,” she said.
“I don’t like the taste of it [coffee] but… I like fizzy and I like blue raspberries so that would make me want to try it.
Mikhiail Hanen, 17, said he also enjoyed Prime Hydration. He says he’s seen Prime marketing on social media and knows the influencers behind it.
He says he drinks coffee and wants to try a bit of the caffeine, but doesn’t want “health problems.”
Are health experts concerned?
Dr. Olivier Drouin, a pediatrician and researcher at Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal, says energy drinks are a public health concern, especially when consumed by young people.
“I think there are a lot of unknowns,” he said. “Like the vaping epidemic…the trend is too recent for us to have long-term data on the effect it’s having on people’s health. You know, we don’t know what 20 years [of] energy drink consumption.
While Drouin says he’s not specifically familiar with the Prime drinks, he and his colleagues often get questions about energy drinks from parents and teens alike.
He says if young people get into the habit of having them, the often high amounts of sugar can cause obesity, diabetes and diseases that affect the heart and metabolism.
In addition, he says that large amounts of caffeine can lead to physical and psychological problems, such as heart palpitations, panic attacks, high blood pressure and anxiety.
Such side effects can also occur during withdrawal should the person choose to stop.
He adds that the drinks may also interact with certain medications, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs, and amplify side effects.
“This escalation and consumption of caffeine in every drink worries me,” he said, as do the long-term health effects and marketing to teens “who may not have all the facts about what they’re ingesting.”
‘Enormously different’ products
In an emailed statement, a Prime representative said it’s important to differentiate between Prime Hydration and Prime Energy “because they’re vastly different.” And neither is intended for children.
“As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or other organization about proposed industry changes they believe are necessary to protect consumers.”
Health Canada says it and the CFIA are aware that stores in Canada may be selling Prime Energy without approval and are “working to address this issue.”
A Canadian food law expert says such companies are in violation of the Food and Drug Act and regulations.
“If you’re a retailer in Canada and you’re selling these goods, you need to stop doing it because you’re in violation of some provisions of the Food and Drugs Act,” said Glenford Jameson, an attorney and partner at GS. Jameson & Company.
According to Jameson, the most likely consequences would include having the potions taken, destroyed or forfeited, though the penalty could be much higher depending on the case.
He says there are a number of ways non-compliant products enter Canada, but retailers need to be vigilant and make sure they’re working with reliable partners in the supply chain.
