Taking the snap out of Sparks

January 6, 2:32 PMDrinks ExaminerBill Dowd

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If you no longer feel that boost when you down a Sparks energy drink, don't be surprised.

MillerCoors, maker of the alcoholic beverage, has agreed to remove caffeine and several other ingredients from the drink.

The move is part of a deal the company made with 13 states and the city of San Francisco. A coalition of state attorneys general had complained that the stimulants reduced drinkers' sense of intoxication. And, they charged that the drink was marketed to younger consumers who, as a demographic group, tend to be prone to risky behaviors in driving and other activities.

"They are fundamentally dangerous and put drinkers of all ages at risk," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. The "agreement will ensure that from here on out, these drinks are kept off New York shelves and away from New York consumers."

Cuomo had spearheaded the investigation into caffeinated alcohol beverages. The settlement also includes the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio and Oklahoma.