Dec 18, 2008 7:57 pm US/Eastern
I-Team: Miller To Stop Making Alcoholic Sparks
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The
CBS4 News I-team reported back in June about the dangers of an alcoholic energy drink called Sparks. Now the maker of Sparks has agreed to stop producing the product in its present form.
Sparks is a highly caffeinated alcoholic beverage made by Miller/Coors LLC. The company came under fire from critics who say Sparks is marketed to young drinkers. Not only does Sparks contain alcohol, critics said, it also has high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants that reduce a drinker's sense of intoxication.
Thirteen states have targeted Miller/Coors and other companies due to the making and marketing of such drinks aimed at young people. Today, Miller/Coors announced a settlement with the 13 state attorneys general.
Miller/Coors LLC agreed to stop producing Sparks in its present form, and not promote Sparks as a mixer for alcohol. Sparks will no longer contain that dangerous mixture of alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants.
Miller LLC will start brewing a new and tamer version of Sparks on January 10.
Early in 2008,
CBS4's I-Team first uncovered how companies were marketing alcohol energy drinks to teenagers.
CBS4 I-Team investigator Laurie Stein had revealed some disturbing new developments and what's being done to keep these drinks away from our kids.
In our report, a YouTube posting revealed an obituary for a 16 year old girl. The medical examiner's report had not been completed yet at the time, but Ashley Ramnauth's friends and family say she died after drinking alcohol along with energy drinks at a friend's house.
"We're seeing it a lot more unfortunately," said Dr. Deanna Slay with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.
Soloway said more young people are coming into her emergency room, after consuming alcohol with caffeine.
"We're seeing kids come in with higher alcohol levels because the caffeine masks the alcohol. So kids are coming in with alcohol poisoning," explained Soloway.
The I-Team has found several lawsuits for DUI deaths and accidents associated with alcohol and energy drinks.
And perhaps that is why some young people we spoke to are starting to become a bit more careful about what they drink.
"I think something might come up as a side effect eventually. I think that mixing is dangerous and could have an effect on your health," said teenager Tineka Brown.
But others say the sweet taste, energizing effects and marketing are often too tempting to pass up.
As we've shown you in our hidden camera investigations with state police, pre-packaged alcoholic energy drinks are very easy for young people to buy.
In fact, in May's "Operation Cocktail to Disaster" stings, Stein watched as police arrested dozens of convenience store clerks for selling alcohol energy drinks to kids. In South Florida, more than 58 were arrested in 114 locations. That means almost half of the stores sold to kids.
"I thought it was an energy drink," admitted one store clerk.
In June, Anheiser Busch announced it was permanently getting out of the alcoholic energy drink market. But others, including Miller Brewing Company, had said they were staying in.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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