Could a common energy drink that seems to be increasingly popular these days be the cause of death? The family of a 14-year-old girl who died on Dec. 23, 2011 claims that it was, as they sued Monster Beverage Corp. this past Friday.
Anais Fournier, a 14-year-old girl from Hagerstown, Md. died in December of last year from a heart arrhythmia after consuming large amounts of the Monster energy drink on two consecutive days. Her mother, Wendy Crossland, filed a suit against the company this past week for not warning consumers about the dangers and risks of the energy drink. However, a spokesperson from the company has responded that its products are safe, and that they were not the cause of the teenager’s death.
In addition to Anais Fournier’s death, the United States Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) has begun investigating four more deaths in the past three years that may have resulted from Monster consumption. As a result, the company’s shares have fallen more than 14 percent.
“I always knew that energy drinks weren’t very healthy, but I didn’t know they could cause death,” said freshman Michelle Wu from John Burroughs High School. I guess they’re like drugs- if you have too much of them, they could be fatal.
This recent issue has caused many people to question how closely the producers and manufacturers of energy drinks monitor their products and their safety, and how securely the F.D.A. oversees these activities. While it is unclear whether energy drinks like Monster really do cause fatalities, many people are becoming increasingly concerned about the dangers of these drinks.
“I don’t think they are going to ban energy drinks,” said Morningstar analyst Thomas Mullarkey according to cnbc.com. “The question arises whether or not it gives them more firepower for increased regulation.”
While many remain apprehensive towards these high-caffeinated drinks, many are still anxiously awaiting the results of the F.D.A.’s investigation to truly discover the possible hazards behind Monster.
