Tell Tom Long, President and CEO of MillerCoors to Drop "Alcospeed" Drinks

After threats of litigation from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and an investigation by 11 state attorneys general into the marketing of flavored malt beverages containing stimulants caffeine, guarana, and ginseng, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. entered into a binding, legal settlement, agreeing to discontinue the production and marketing of caffeinated alcoholic beverages (Bud Extra, Tilt). As part of the settlement, Anheuser-Busch will call on all distillers and brewers to stop making pre-packaged caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

Please send Miller’s president an immediate message, demanding that MillerCoors follow Anheuser-Busch’s responsible leadership in taking alcoholic energy drinks off the market. If you wish, add a personal touch to the letter, such as your role as an alcohol-prevention specialist/treatment counselor/children's advocate/college health official/parent, or your concern about your teenage or college children, fear of “wide-awake” drunks on the road, etc.

Talking Points

CSPI and others have opposed the alcoholic energy drinks because the safety of consuming stimulants and alcohol together was not assured and the stimulant ingredients had not been officially approved for use in alcoholic beverages. Additionally, new research evidence indicates that young consumers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks were more likely to binge drink, become injured, ride with an intoxicated driver, and be the victim of a sexual assault than drinkers of conventional alcoholic drinks.

MillerCoors markets Sparks, another popular pre-packaged alcoholic energy drink that contains caffeine, taurine, guarana-ginseng blend. Sparks Light contains 6.0% alcohol by volume and Sparks Plus has 7% alcohol by volume. So far, MillerCoors, which also received CSPI’s notice of intent to sue in February, has refused to negotiate and has refused to remove Sparks from the market.

Subject:

Dear Mr. Long,

(Edit Letter Below)

I am writing to you because I am concerned about young people and about the risks they face when they consume alcoholic beverages.  Teenagers are among those who are at highest risk of a great variety of alcohol-related harms, including auto crashes, inter-personal violence, sexual victimization, suicide, unintentional injuries, and scholastic failure.  Therefore, I find it totally unconscionable that MillerCoors produces and markets Sparks, an alcoholic energy drink laced with stimulants that elevate those risks.
	
Other brewers, including your competitor Anheuser-Busch, have responded to public concern and official inquiries by agreeing voluntarily to discontinue producing and marketing pre-packaged caffeinated alcoholic beverages.  I call on MillerCoors to follow A-B's responsible lead by immediately halting its production and distribution of Sparks and agreeing not to produce or market caffeinated alcoholic drinks in the future.  Failure to do so will signal MillerCoor's callous indifference to youth alcohol problems and its insistence on profits at the expense of public health and safety.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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