Chicago Alderman Ed M. Burke is proposing that those controversial energy drinks not be distributed or sold in the city of Chicago, according to WLS-AM 890 radio news which referenced the Sun-Times on Friday morning.
The veteran city councilman who has been a major stronghold in Chicago politics for several decades is going after the very popular energy drinks that are on store shelves throughout the city, such as Red Bull, Monster, 5 Hour Energy, and Full Throttle. The drinks, which have become extremely popular with teenagers and young adults in the past several years, are now believed to be dangerous when consumed in excess. The alderman’s proposal for the ban on these drinks highlights the dangers.
In a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, Burke’s law, if passed, would fine offending distributors and retailers $100 to $500 for each offense.
The spotlight on energy drinks reoccurred when a federal survey revealed, this month, that the number of emergency room visits by persons who consumed energy drinks in a four-year period - from 2007 to 2011 – doubled from 10,000 to 20,000. In at least one case, a teenager died after consuming a couple of energy drinks.
The sale of the drinks increased 17 percent in 2011 over the previous year according to Beverage Digest, a beverage industry sales tracker.
Without specifics, beverage industry officials are claiming the statistics are misleading.
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