Lawmakers, families call for FDA to ban pure powdered caffeine

By Steve Pak / 1461763200
(Photo : Facebook) Lawmakers and victims' families are calling for the FDA to ban pure powdered caffeine

Powdered caffeine was in the spotlight on April 26, Tuesday as lawmakers called the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pass a federal ban on the caffeinated product. They argued that the dietary supplement was very dangerous following death of two people in 2014 who consumed the substance.  

The FDA reports that 1 teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine is equal to the amount of caffeine in 28 cups of coffee, according to ABC 7 New York. This is a big difference from just getting a slightly faster heart rate after drinking too many cups of Joe.  

The FDA now only recommends that people not use products that contain pure powdered caffeine. However, the products are already banned in Ohio and Illinois.

Concentrated caffeine can be bought on the Internet as a powder and liquid. It is often promoted as a health supplement but manufacturers often do no warn about how strong the substance is.

Logan Stiner's parents reported that their son was half a week from his high school graduation when he died due to caffeine overdose, according to ABC. Logan was a wrestling star and had planned to study chemical engineering during the fall semester.

The teen's parents had never heard of powdered caffeine before their son's tragic event. However, they are now taking action by lobbying the FDA to ban the powerful substance throughout the United States.   

Kate Stiner told ABC News the couple thought they were well-educated about many of today's trends. However, they did not know how widely powdered caffeine was used.

Concentrated caffeine can be bought on the Internet as a powder and liquid. It is often promoted as a health supplement but manufacturers often do no warn about how strong the substance is.

24-year-old Wade Sweatt was another victim of powdered caffeine. His parents reported that their son passed away when he went into a coma after his first try of the powdered substance. They discovered on his cellphone that he had Googled conversion charts to figure out how much of the caffeine product to take.

Meanwhile, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told reporters that powdered caffeine is like a big explosion waiting to happen.