Caffeine powder is bad for your health

18 year old Logan Stiner died of overdose and the cause of overdose- the lethal amount of caffeine in his system. Today, the parents of the teen from Ohio are in Washington to push a ban for caffeine powder. According to the result of the autopsy, he ingested 23 times the amount of caffeine found in a typical coffee or soda drink.

Powdered caffeine is marketed as a dietary supplement primarily on the Internet and largely unregulated, unlike caffeine added to soda. The Stiners are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be more vigilant about the said product.

Two months after the death of Logan, the FDA cautioned consumers to avoid caffeine powder yet the product remained available for sale online. Such products sold online lacks adequate warning labels causing people to ingest lethal amount.

Aside from the Stiners, Jim and Julie Sweatt were also present to push the ban for caffeine powder. The Sweatt’s are the parents of 24 year old Wade Sweat who also died of caffeine powder overdose.

The families met with Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio (D), and Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut (D).

According to Brown, "While the dangers are not broadly understood, powdered caffeine is widely available online or in stores with little warning or guidance. That must stop."

"While it's too late to save Logan and Wade from this dangerous substance, we must act quickly before more lives are lost."

As for Senator Blumenthal, "There ought to be a great big `skull and bones' on it, or it should be banned."

According to the FDA, they are still investigating the case and that since they issued the warning last July, online retailers have stopped selling caffeine powder.

The agency explained that caffeine powder is sold as a dietary supplement hence it falls under different regulations unlike most caffeinated products.

Caffeine powder is being added by users to their drinks to control weight gain.