The Living Essentials company claims it markets its high-powered beverage (which is sold in a 2-oz bottle as a "shot") to "…hardworking adults who need an extra boost of energy" (Meier, p. 2).
Another article in the respected New York Times reports that in addition to the 13 fatalities linked to 5-Hour Energy, another 5 deaths have been linked to "Monster Energy" (Meier, 2012). These data were released by the FDA in November, 2012, because, according to spokeswoman Shelly Burgess, the FDA is making "…an effort to be transparent" (Meier, p. 1). While the FDA did not officially find the product at fault -- at this point there are linkages but no empirical proof that the deaths were a direct result of consuming the energy drinks -- Burgess added that if a "relationship between the consumption of the product and harm" can be proved, the FDA will take "appropriate action to reduce or eliminate the risk" (Meier, p. 1).
(Logos) Can these reports of negative health impacts linked to energy drinks be believed -- and are the manufacturers worried about their profits and their image? One sure and logical way to determine that a company is running scared and trying to protect its image is when they rush to hire lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Indeed, Red Bull and Monster, among the leading energy drink manufacturers, have hired lobbyists; Red Bull North America hired two lobbyists (Heather Podesta & Partners; and Olsson, Frank, Weeda, Terman, Matz) in late 2012, and Monster hired the Covington & Burling lobbying firm, paying them $100,000 in late 2012 (Huffpost, 2013). Neither of these companies had previously hired lobbyists, which leads the alert reader to surmise that Monster and Red Bull are worried about the FDA's release of information that links energy drinks to death and other negative health impacts.
In conclusion,...
How can energy drink companies justify continuing to market their products as safe when so much evidence has been accumulated showing that energy drinks may not be safe, especially for young people and in particular when teenagers are known to drink several cans in a short period of time? Three Democratic members of Congress have sent letters to more than 12 beverage companies as part of an ongoing investigation; will the lobbying by energy drink companies trump investigations by Congress? Given the back-biting and polarization in Washington, no one can be sure anything positive will come from an investigation -- but energy drinks should be regulated and if Congress and the FDA fail to come to terms with this danger,
democracy and American citizens will be the losers.
Works Cited
Huffpost. "Energy Drinks Hire Lobbyists to Fend Off Regulation." Retrieved March 6, 2013,
from http://www.huffingtonpost.com.
Meier, Barry. "Caffeinated Drink Cited in Reports of 13 Deaths." The New York Times.
Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com. 2012.
Meier, Barry. "F.D.A. Post Injury Data for 3 Drinks." The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com. 2012.
Reissig, Chad J, Strain, Eric C., and Griffiths, Roland R. "Caffeinated Energy Drinks -- a
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