School issues Prime energy drink warning after pupil hospitalised
The Welsh primary school said a parent reported their child had to have their stomach pumped
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A pupil has suffered a “cardiac episode” after drinking a Prime energy drink, a school has said.
Milton Primary School in Newport, sent a text message to parents on Tuesday following reports from a parent that their child had to have their stomach pumped after drinking the fad drink, which is said to contain 140mg of caffeine in the UK.
The school’s management said it wanted to make parents aware of the incident, although it did not happen in school.
The message, reported by WalesOnline, read: "This morning a parent has reported that their child has had a cardiac episode over the weekend after drinking a Prime energy drink.
"The child had to have their stomach pumped and although better now the parent wanted us to share this as a reminder of the potential harmful effects."
Prime drinks were launched in 2022, promoted by Logan Paul and KSI. A frenzy was induced when the drinks went out of stock in supermarkets and people were scouring their local shops. Later, cans were being resold for 10 times their retail value online.
Prime Energy, launched in the UK in 2023, is said to contain 140mg of caffeine per 12oz can in the UK, while a typical caffeinated soft drink generally contains just 30 to 40mg of caffeine and an 8oz cup of coffee has between 80 and 100mg. Prime Energy is not recommended for children under 18, according to the official website - and this is stated on the labels of cans of Prime Energy.
In January, Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy told The Mirror: "I would not recommend children drink Prime energy drinks or other energy drinks for children of any age. Children don't need energy drinks anyway – they have plenty of energy. If your child is lacking in energy take them to see their GP – do not give them an energy drink."
The Independent has approached Prime for comment. Milton Primary School had no comment to make.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments