MillerCoors said it’s pausing the rollout of a new caffeine-infused alcoholic energy drink pending talks with 25 states that don’t want the company to release the beverage.
In a statement Friday, MillerCoors said the company won’t go ahead with its scheduled Oct. 1 launch of the drink, Sparks Red.
Attorneys general from 25 states asked the company to abandon its plans for the drink, the AP reported. State officials contend that adding caffeine to alcoholic beverages reduces drinkers’ sense of intoxication and young people are especially vulnerable to the drinks.
MillerCoors said the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, has approved all formulas and labeling for Sparks.
The company said in a statement that it is “dedicated to ensuring all of our brands are marketed responsibly to legal drinking-age adults.”
