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This is a rant.
So, there has been another instance of the Panera Bread charged lemonade killing someone. When we discussed this event at work, one person in particular was unsympathetic, claiming that if someone has a health condition they should just not consume the hyper-caffeinated lemonade.
I find this argument upsetting and unsympathetic.
The person in question said, "Well, it says charged lemonade in the drink's name. What did they think charged meant?"
For one, the person who recently died from the lemonade had a mental condition and possibly would not understand that. The word charged is already unclear; not everyone will infer it means it is caffeinated. I've seen similar wording on drinks with electrolytes. Furthermore, lemonade usually does not have caffeine! It's a perfectly fine assumption to think this one doesn't.
The person who defended Panera also claimed that the chain makes it "very clear" of the amount of caffeine it has.
Sure, they have a small sign indicating the amount of caffeine in certain locations (the one the latest incident occurred in DID NOT have the sign up) but it's not as extreme as it should be for the caffeine contents in a Panera charged lemonade. For other energy drinks with large caffeine dosages, there is a warning on the can that it is only for those 18 and older. This lemonade does not have the same warnings attributed to it. It is advertised using language that makes it sound healthy and clean; it is placed next to non-caffeinated beverages further making it look harmless. A drink like that with a dangerous amount of caffeine shouldn't be easily accessible and the fact that they are is irresponsible.
I'm really upset because Dennis Brown, the guy who died, liked going to Panera a lot. It was a part of his weekly routine. He just wanted to enjoy a treat after work at his favorite restaurant and it cost him his life. To say that he deserved it or had it coming hurts.
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PolarisPolanski
Charged lemonade is literally advertised with having no sugar but the same amount of caffine as their other caffeinated drinks.
It is a cruel thing to say that he had it coming, because no one could have predicted that at all. That's just devastating.
But also the caffeination is part of the sale and people really need to take those warnings seriously. Not everyone can handle it and the event just goes to show that caffeine is no joke! A college student recently died from a charged lemonade at my Panera location, where I work. We had to being the machines to the back and serve them with meals instead of the customers self-serving because of this.