WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) stood with representatives for the Center for Science in the Public Interest and families whose loved ones have died after using powdered caffeine as they renewed their call on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the retail sale and marketing of pure, bulk powdered caffeine, which even in small doses can be deadly.
Data collected by the American Association of Poison Control Centers indicates that, since 2014, there have been 60 incidents involving powdered caffeine cases in at least 25 states. The vast majority of these cases involved individuals under 18 years of age. According to the FDA, a single teaspoon of pure caffeine is roughly equivalent to the amount in 25 cups of coffee. The latest pure caffeine product to be marketed in the U.S. is an inhaler-like product, which the FDA has not reviewed for safety.
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Following their press conference, the Senators sent a letter to the FDA saying, “It is disturbing that despite several unintended and untimely deaths associated with powdered caffeine, the FDA has done little to regulate these products or adequately enforce the standards in place to protect Americans from the substantial risk associated with ingesting powdered caffeine in any form. Unfortunately, in the absence of strong regulatory action, companies are continuing to develop new delivery mechanisms and creative advertising ploys to attract new powdered caffeine users and are doing so without relaying the serious health consequences of improper use.”
Durbin’s remarks are available to reporters on his YouTube Page.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks will soon be available for TV Stations using FTP. Please email Christina_mulka@durbin.senate.gov for details on when the links will be available.
