WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) reintroduced the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to increase transparency of caffeine in food and beverages. The bill is named in memory of Sarah Katz, a Jersey City native who died in 2022 after consuming an energy drink.
“At its core, this bill is about transparency and safety, preventing tragedies like what occurred to Sarah Katz from ever happening again,” said Congressman Rob Menendez. “Consumers in New Jersey and across the country deserve to know what the food and beverages offered in stores and restaurants contain. It’s imperative that manufacturers implement these labeling changes to protect public health, and it’s equally important that we continue to update federal regulations on caffeine to reflect changes in consumer trends and the growing energy drink market.”
“Regulation of highly caffeinated energy drinks, beverages, and food is needed for consumers to make informed choices for what is best for themselves and their families,” said Jill and Michael Katz. “The tragic loss of our dear daughter, Sarah, highlighted the tremendous risks that caffeine can pose to everyone, especially children, pregnant women, older adults, and vulnerable individuals. This legislation is an important step in the right direction.”
“Despite studies showing the severe health impacts of highly caffeinated drinks and other caffeinated substances, especially on children, youth and young adults, regulatory measures and transparent warnings remain inadequate,” said Victoria L. Vetter, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Youth Heart Watch at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We need to take steps to regulate these drinks that are targeted to our youth and educate communities before we encounter a full-blown public health crisis. Social media and its influencers directly promote these dangerous drinks to children and youth, something we don’t allow for other substances like nicotine and alcohol.”
“The tragic loss of Sarah Katz underscores the urgent need for clear, easy-to-understand labeling of caffeine content from all sources so consumers can make informed decisions about what they drink—especially those with underlying heart conditions,” said Martha Lopez-Anderson, Executive Director of Parent Heart Watch. “The proposed Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act is a vital step in protecting lives. No family should suffer a preventable loss. We strongly support this proposed legislation because not knowing what’s in your drink shouldn’t be a matter of life or death.”
“We shouldn’t have to wait for a tragedy to see change, but here we are. Harm from excess caffeine intake is entirely preventable, so long as those of us who seek to avoid caffeine— due to a heart condition, or for any other reason— are equipped with information about how much caffeine is in our foods and drinks,” said Eva Greenthal, Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “The Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act will provide the transparency and protections we deserve when it comes to caffeine.”
“With so many new energy drinks now on the market, it’s critical for consumers, especially parents, to know whether a product has a dangerous amount of caffeine,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports. “This bill would establish clear labeling requirements so consumers can find out how much caffeine a beverage contains and avoid the risk of accidental caffeine overconsumption. We commend Rep. Menendez for his work on this important bill.”
“Consumers want and deserve basic information about whether a food or beverage contains caffeine and how much,” said Thomas Gremillion, Director of Food Policy at the Consumer Federation of America. “Caffeine’s reinforcing properties create powerful incentives for companies to use it in their products, at levels higher than many consumers would prefer, including for products marketed to children. The Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act provides a check on these perverse incentives, and allows consumers to decide how much, if any, caffeine is right for them.
The bill introduces a number of new policies on caffeine in beverages, including:
- Requiring restaurants to disclose if a menu item contains more than 150 milligrams of caffeine on menus, menu boards, and drive throughs.
- Requiring energy drink companies to label the amount of caffeine or other stimulants in a product.
- Requiring the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) to further study, or to contract with an appropriate entity, how caffeine impacts vulnerable populations.
- Requiring the FDA to update any relevant regulations to better protect certain vulnerable populations and increase transparency around the impacts of caffeine consumption.
- Directing the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control to conduct a public safety education campaign on safe caffeine consumption so that the American public can safely consume caffeine if they choose to do so.
- Authorizing a Government Accountability Office study on how caffeinated beverages are misleadingly marketed, including towards children and teens.
Yesterday, the Congressman hosted a press conference in Washington, DC alongside the Katz family and numerous advocates. The press conference can be viewed here
. Full text of the bill is available here.
The bill is endorsed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, Parent Heart Watch, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Consumer Federation of America, and Consumer Reports.
The Congressman currently serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
