In the right set of circumstances, Monster Energy Drinks are strong enough to kill. Ask the family of 14-year-old Anais Fournier, a Maryland high school student who went into cardiac arrest after drinking two cans of the popular highly-caffeinated energy drink in a 24-hour period last December.
A wrongful death lawsuit, filed Monday in California, alleges that the company continued to conceal the exact amounts of caffeine contained in its drinks and has failed to test its products for effects of the cardiovascular system. Also, that Monster has purposely designed its product for teen and young adult consumers and has failed to alert consumers of the serious health risks the drinks can cause, especially if consumed by someone with an underlying heart condition.
According to the Center for Food Safety Adverse Event Reporting System at the FDA, there have been six deaths and 15 hospitalizations associated with Monster Energy Drink since 2009. There has been a tenfold increase in emergency department visits associated with energy drinks between 2004 and 2009, totaling more than 16,000 visits in 2008, and sales have increased 240 percent during the same period.”
Fournier suffered from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and was an honor student at South Hagerstown High School