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CHICAGO (STNG) - State Attorney General Lisa Madigan joined 24 other states Wednesday in asking beer giants MillerCoors to not release their new alcoholic energy drink which is slated for an October release.
Madigan says she is “extremely disappointed” with MillerCoor’s decision to sell their new Sparks Red, an alcoholic energy drink boasting “a significant increase over the alcohol content found in other alcoholic energy drinks”—as much as eight percent alcohol by volume.
In a release Wednesday, Madigan said there have been several studies linking the citrus and caffeine-filled malt drinks to underage drinking and serious health risks.
“The scientific evidence clearly shows the grave dangers these products pose, especially to young consumers,” Madigan said in a statement. “I urge MillerCoor’s to reverse its decision and keep this product off store shelves in the interest of consumers’ health and safety.”
Last summer, Madigan joined a group of attorney generals nationwide in urging Anheuser-Busch to “adjust its advertising” of another alcoholic energy drink called Spykes, which was ultimately pulled from stores.
Madigan has also tackled Kingpin Concepts, Inc., a Las Vegas-based company which sells an energy drink called “Blow” as well as California-based Redux Beverages, LLC, for selling an energy drink called “Cocaine.” Both companies agreed to stop selling the products in Illinois.
“MillerCoor’s decision to sell Sparks Red defies undeniable evidence from medical and public health professionals about the dangers of mixing alcohol with stimulants in energy drinks,” Madigan said.
The release cites a study by Dr. Mary Claire O’Brien of Wake Forest University, which shows college students that mix energy drinks with alcohol are more likely to experience sexual assault, injury and an increase in “heavy episodic drinking.”
Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming all joined Madigan in asking MillerCoors not to release the new product.
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