United States: Senator Tweets About Detox Teas And Danger To Public

Is Senator Blumenthal's FTC invocation weirdly tea-specific?

Tweet From Senator Blumenthal to Invoke FTC Action

Recently, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal made a public statement via Twitter to the Honorable Joseph Simons, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), about deceptive tea detox marketing and the danger these marketing schemes pose to the public. The tweet linked to a letter from Senator Blumenthal to Chairman Simons describing how these deceptive detox tea marketing claims threaten the public and how they should be addressed by the FTC.

The opening line was framed as a classic lecture from an authority figure within the Senate: "I write to express our deep concern regarding the growing trend of 'detox teas' and their false promotion as shortcuts to healthy weight loss and management."

The Takeaway

Senator Blumenthal's petition to the FTC chairman embraces the alleged negative effects of appetite-suppressant products ‒ or at least one specific product: detox teas.

According to the honorable senator, the detox tea industry is guilty of three intertwined crimes: peddling dangerous materials, making false promises about results and using dubious influencer advertising to "rope in" children. He takes specific swings at Kim Kardashian and Flat Tummy Co.'s detox tea product, which she promotes on social media, and throws a thinly veiled jab by referencing the FTC's own guidelines.

If we went into more detail, we'd just be reproducing the memo itself, so we'll leave you with one further observation: Senator Blumenthal seems especially preoccupied with detox teas, something the FTC may consider evaluating for deception claims based on detox tea companies' marketing practices. The FTC has previously remarked on the danger of relying on the promises made in diet supplements' marketing materials, and perhaps will next remark on the dangers of these popular detox teas claims.

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