On September 10, 2022, a University of Pennsylvania student tragically lost their life after consuming a beverage that they did not know was highly caffeinated. The student, Sarah Katz, was born with a heart condition which left her susceptible to heavily caffeinated beverages. While many of us consume caffeine frequently or even daily with little-to-no issues, the fact remains that caffeine is a stimulant, and a powerful one at high doses. As more powerful energy drinks and coffees rise in popularity, I believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that consumers are aware of how much caffeine they consume.

As such, I intend to introduce legislation that would require retail food facilities to display “high caffeine” or similar warnings next to any beverage that contains 80 milligrams or more of caffeine. These warnings would be required to be placed on any menu in the restaurant that contains a heavily caffeinated beverage. Similar legislation has been introduced in several other states and at the federal level.
I believe that it is important to ensure that Pennsylvanians who may be sensitive to caffeine are aware of drinks that could potentially harm them. This legislation provides Pennsylvanians with the clarity they need to make the decisions that are right for their health.

Please join me by co-sponsoring this important bill to ensure that Pennsylvanians can make informed decisions about what beverages that chose to drink at our Commonwealth’s restaurants.