‘Dangerous’: Schools ban cult energy drink Prime
A slew of Aussie schools have banned Logan Paul’s insanely popular energy drink amid safety concerns, as the influencers call it “wrongdoing”.
Schools across the country are rushing to ban students from bringing in an illegal ultra-caffeinated energy drink, after a surge in popularity among Aussie kids.
Prime energy drinks, from a company part-owned by influencers Logan Paul and KSI, have almost twice the legal limit of caffeine allowable in Australia.
The brightly coloured bottled drink isn’t available for purchase for that reason, but it can be easily bought online via resellers.
Now, a slew of Australian schools have banned Prime after industry advice warned it contained dangerous levels of caffeine for children.
Miami State School on the Gold Coast was among the latest to act, sending a note to parents that the drink is not to be seen on school grounds.
In a social media post on Monday, principal Jemille Malouf said the ban was issued after some students were spotted with the drinks.
“This is a new elite athlete drink that is in high demand,” Ms Malouf said.
“It clearly states on the packaging that these drinks are ‘not suitable for children under 15 years of age’.”
It comes as Maryborough State High School principal Simon Done warned of a worrying incident involving a student.
“We had a student who had just the sports drink, not the energy drink, and this is a child who’s quite shy, retiring and quiet normally, and it was like someone had shaken him up and made him fizzy,” Mr Done told the ABC.
“He was physiologically different looking — that’s coming out anecdotally from one of my staff in the school.”
The school subsequently sent a reminder to parents that their ban on energy and sports drinks extended to Prime.
In WA, Swanbourne Primary School and Mt Hawthorn also instituted bans.
Needless to say, the drink’s celebrity spruiker KSI, known for his elaborate internet stunts, reacted with fury.
“A school had the AUDACITY to ban Prime, leaving their students dehydrated,” the YouTuber tweeted back in September.
“To counter this blatant wrongdoing, we’ll be sending a truckload of Prime to this school and many other schools. Just retweet this tweet to represent your school to get some Prime.”
It wasn’t clear which schools to which he was referring.
The hype in Australia's crazy - to the point this is becoming a common sight in Woolies!
— PRIME Tracker (@prime_tracker) March 23, 2023
Coles isn't far off... pic.twitter.com/8DPWstvcgb
KSI and Paul, who have more than 40 million YouTube subscribers between them, touched down to screaming crowds in Australia last month on a tour promoting their controversial beverage empire.
The pair practically shut down Sydney when they appeared on Nine’s Today show, with hundreds of teenagers flooding the streets in the hopes that they would catch a glimpse.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) develops guidelines to restrict caffeine levels in consumable products.
The maximum amount of caffeine allowed in a drink in Australia is 32mg per 100ml. A can of Prime contains almost double that — about 56mg per 100ml.
A caffeine-free “hydration” sports version is available for purchase at some Woolworths stores — but even that contains a disclaimer that it is not suitable for children under the age of 15, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and should only be used under medical or dietetic supervision.
The danger warnings have done little to stop the drink’s popularity. In fact, it’s so highly sought after that stock has reportedly vanished from shelves in the UK and US.
Online “Prime trackers” have popped up, claiming to alert users of stores stocking the drink nearby.
Some online retailers and consumers are taking advantage of the hype by selling the drinks online — including to Australian customers — at a higher price.
One 500ml bottle, which retails for $4.50 in some stores, is listed on eBay for about $20. Students are also reportedly selling the drinks to their peers in the school playground.
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