City Attorney Takes Monster Energy Beverage To Court For Marketing An Unsafe Product To Children As Young As Six Years Old
Energy drinks area $10 billion business and are especially popular with the younger population. They are big TV advertisers and sponsor sporting events and music concerts targeting young people, including children as young as six. And, according San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrara, theyre implicated in the deaths of five individuals and more illnesses and hospitalizations. A recent lawsuit charged that a 14 year old girl died by caffeine induced cardiac arrhythmia after downing two large Monster energy drinks in 24 hours.
According to the complaint, "This case challenges the unfair, deceptive, and unlawful business practices of defendant Monster Beverage Corporation ('Monster'), the largest manufacturer of energy drinks in the United States. Energy drinks are flavored beverages that contain large amounts of added caffeine and typically large amounts of sugar, as well as other additives such as taurine, guarana, and ginseng. Monster Energy Drinks contain much higher levels of caffeine than found in traditional sodas and colas commonly consumed by teenagers. "
"The health and safety risks posed by Monster Energy Drinks' high caffeine levels are particularly acute for children and adolescents, who tend to have greater sensitivity to caffeine.
"Despite the dangers to youth of consuming energy drinks and Monster's own warning label which acknowledges these risks, Monster aggressively markets its products to children and teenagers by sponsoring youth sports tournaments and prominently featuring profiles of youth ranging in age from 6 to 17 on its Monster Army website. Monster also targets children and teenagers by promoting a 'lifestyle' that features extreme sports, music, gaming, military themes, and the scantily-clad 'Monster Girls.' As a direct result of Monster's targeted advertising efforts, its products are popular with and frequently consumed by youth.
"Monster tells consumers they can 'never get enough' of its drinks and encourages them to 'pound down' and 'chug down,' the product. Further, the daily limit that Monster's labeling claims is safe is three 16-ounce cans (containing 480 milligrams of caffeine), which is nearly five times the maximum daily caffeine limit recommended for children and adolescents, and exceeds the 400 milligram daily caffeine limit recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as safe for healthy adults.
The suit comes a week after Monster filed a suit in Los Angeles Federal Court claiming they were being unfairly singled out by the D.A. and stated that young people can order coffee with more caffeine in them at any Starbucks, but Herrera hasnt sued Starbucks.
You can read more about the case from the SF City Attorneys office here:
http://www.sfcityattorney.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=1296
Energy drinks area $10 billion business and are especially popular with the younger population. They are big TV advertisers and sponsor sporting events and music concerts targeting young people, including children as young as six. And, according San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrara, theyre implicated in the deaths of five individuals and more illnesses and hospitalizations. A recent lawsuit charged that a 14 year old girl died by caffeine induced cardiac arrhythmia after downing two large Monster energy drinks in 24 hours.
According to the complaint, "This case challenges the unfair, deceptive, and unlawful business practices of defendant Monster Beverage Corporation ('Monster'), the largest manufacturer of energy drinks in the United States. Energy drinks are flavored beverages that contain large amounts of added caffeine and typically large amounts of sugar, as well as other additives such as taurine, guarana, and ginseng. Monster Energy Drinks contain much higher levels of caffeine than found in traditional sodas and colas commonly consumed by teenagers. "
"The health and safety risks posed by Monster Energy Drinks' high caffeine levels are particularly acute for children and adolescents, who tend to have greater sensitivity to caffeine.
"Despite the dangers to youth of consuming energy drinks and Monster's own warning label which acknowledges these risks, Monster aggressively markets its products to children and teenagers by sponsoring youth sports tournaments and prominently featuring profiles of youth ranging in age from 6 to 17 on its Monster Army website. Monster also targets children and teenagers by promoting a 'lifestyle' that features extreme sports, music, gaming, military themes, and the scantily-clad 'Monster Girls.' As a direct result of Monster's targeted advertising efforts, its products are popular with and frequently consumed by youth.
"Monster tells consumers they can 'never get enough' of its drinks and encourages them to 'pound down' and 'chug down,' the product. Further, the daily limit that Monster's labeling claims is safe is three 16-ounce cans (containing 480 milligrams of caffeine), which is nearly five times the maximum daily caffeine limit recommended for children and adolescents, and exceeds the 400 milligram daily caffeine limit recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as safe for healthy adults.
The suit comes a week after Monster filed a suit in Los Angeles Federal Court claiming they were being unfairly singled out by the D.A. and stated that young people can order coffee with more caffeine in them at any Starbucks, but Herrera hasnt sued Starbucks.
You can read more about the case from the SF City Attorneys office here:
http://www.sfcityattorney.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=1296
