PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Two attorneys general from the Northwest have sued the companies responsible for the popular 5-Hour Energy drink, alleging they engaged in deceptive advertising.The Oregon lawsuit filed Thursday in Portland contends 5-Hour Energy falsely claims customers get extra energy and focus from a unique blend of ingredients, when the boost actually comes from a concentrated dose of caffeine.The suit also targets claims that users don’t experience a crash when the effects subside and that the product is OK for adolescents.Oregon has been part of a group leading a 33-state investigation into the accuracy of the product’s claims. Washington state’s attorney general filed a similar lawsuit Thursday in King County Superior Court in Seattle.Other states are expected to file suit as well, said Kristina Edmunson, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Justice.The lawsuits name Living Essentials LLC and Innovation Ventures LLC as defendants.5-Hour Energy spokeswoman Melissa Skabich said the company will defend itself against what Skabich called civil intimidation.“When companies are being bullied by someone in a position of power, these companies roll over, pay the ransom, and move on,” Skabich said in a statement. “We’re not doing that.”Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said 5-Hour Energy violated the state’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act.
5-Hour Energy sued over ad claims