States ask MillerCoors to pull energy drink

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement that the Sparks Red drink is a "recipe for disaster" because adding caffeine to alcoholic beverages reduces drinkers' sense of intoxication.

Blumenthal, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the other attorneys general say young drinkers are especially vulnerable because of their limited judgment and risky behaviors in driving and other activities. They urged MillerCoors to abandon plans for the product and said they would consider other steps -- hinting at a potential lawsuit -- if necessary.

MillerCoors spokesman Julian Green said the company still plans to release the drink on Oct. 1. He said the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, has approved all formulas and labeling for Sparks.

"We will continue to work with the TTB to insure that marketing, labeling and formulation continues to meet all guidelines," he said.

Attorneys general and advocacy groups have long been targeting MillerCoors, a joint venture between SABMiller's U.S. unit and Molson Coors Brewing Co., and the nation's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., in connection with the making and marketing of such drinks. They say these drinks are targeting teenagers and young drinkers who are already drawn to highly caffeinated drinks like Red Bull.

Last week the Center for Science in the Public Interest said it sued MillerCoors to stop the brewer from selling Sparks, saying it's going after teenagers with the drink.

On Wednesday, the latest group, which also includes California, Ohio, Illinois and Vermont, sent MillerCoors Chief Executive Leo Kiely a letter asking the brewer to stop its plans for Sparks Red.

"MillerCoors' decision to introduce Sparks Red defies increasing undeniable evidence from medical and public health professionals about the dangers of mixing alcohol with stimulants found in energy drinks," the letter said.

In announcing its lawsuit last week, the CSPI cited a 2007 study that found that drinkers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks are more likely to binge drink and ride with an intoxicated driver, among other dangers.