New Englanders weigh in after RFK Jr. targets Dunkin’, Starbucks drinks

CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — New Englanders are responding to comments made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about Dunkin' and Starbucks.

"Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks, show us the safety data that shows that it's okay for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it," Kennedy said.

NBC 10 asked some coffee drinkers whether they believed drinks the chains sold are too sugary.

"I think it just depends on what people put in it themselves and it's their choice on what they want to put in their coffee," one customer said. "I think he should just leave coffee alone and let people drink it the way they want to drink it."

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey responded to the comments with her own social media post.

In a statement Thursday, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told NBC 10, "Nobody is taking away popular products, but it's fair to ask whether drinks with over 100 grams of sugar are safe for kids. Consumers have the right to know this safety information."