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Coca-Cola still uses coca leaves in the production of its drink. The Stepan Company plant in New Jersey is the only place in the USA authorized to import coca.

Coca-Cola still uses coca leaves in the production of its drink. The Stepan Company plant in New Jersey is the only place in the USA authorized to import coca. "Equality before the law" is unfortunately a farce in this country, if you didn't already know.

tombert 2y ago
> Coca-Cola still uses coca leaves in the production of its drink. Is this actually true? A quick search gives me a lot of sources like "Natural News" and similarly dubious sources. What do they actually use the Coca leaves for?
- cynicalpeace 2y ago
  It is 100% true. It seems a DEA source would convince you: https://museum.dea.gov/exhibits/online-exhibits/cannabis-coca-and-poppy-natures-addictive-plants/coca#:~:text=Coca%20and%20Cola%3A%20In%20the,the%20flavoring%20for%20Coca%2DCola https://museum.dea.gov/exhibits/online-exhibits/cannabis-coc.... "In the late 1800s cocaine was used as a primary ingredient for flavor in Coca-Cola. In the early 1900s cocaine in its crude form was removed. Today the extract of the coca leaves, a de-cocainized version, is manufactured in the United States and used in the flavoring for Coca-Cola."
  - tombert 2y ago
    Fair enough!
  - abcd_f 2y ago
    > DEA source It has a step-by-step description of cocaine extraction process further down the page. I mean you can probably find the same on the YT, but seeing it on a DEA site is still a bit jarring.
  - Suppafly 2y ago
    >Today the extract of the coca leaves, a de-cocainized version, is manufactured in the United States and used in the flavoring for Coca-Cola." Interesting, I had always heard that they had to "de-cocainize" the extract outside the US and import the resulting product.
    - cynicalpeace 2y ago
      Nope. Coca-Cola and the Stepan Company have worked very hard to keep this fascinating fact under wraps. It's obviously not a good look for them.
      - cma 2y ago
        i thought they need the separated drug part of the extract anyway because that's the source we use to produce lidocaine in the US.
        cynicalpeace 2y ago
        They do the extraction in New Jersey
- greenavocado 2y ago
  https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-06177.pdf https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-06177.pdf DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. DEA-1335] Importer of Controlled Substances Application: Stepan Company
  - Andrex 2y ago
    Was it approved, denied, or still awaiting a decision?
Mistletoe 2y ago
It’s literally in the name, I’d be disappointed if it didn’t have coca in it. It definitely doesn’t have cocaine in it anymore though. I bet that sold like hotcakes when it did though.
fluoridation 2y ago
>"Equality before the law" is unfortunately a farce in this country, if you didn't already know. To be fair, it's not like they're letting them do whatever they want with the plants. They use them for a very specific purpose, and I'm sure there's very strict accounting involved, as is done with factories that produce solvents and their customers. The question is whether a new business could be started that had a legitimate use for coca and could get a similar exception extended to it.
- cynicalpeace 2y ago
  The answer is obviously not, since there's only 1 and there's been presumably hundreds of applicants (at least) who have tried the same and been rejected. It's actually a fascinating example of where government backs a private monopoly as opposed to breaking it up, which is often a case for having a strong government apparatus.
  - lisper 2y ago
    > there's been presumably hundreds of applicants Well, that's exactly the question, isn't it. You can't presume this because the answer to the question turns on the actual fact of the matter.
    - cynicalpeace 2y ago
      I'm presuming it because it's very likely, we don't need a double blind randomized controlled study to declare certain things are true. Like that the idea "equality before the law" doesn't exist in this country, unfortunately.
      - lisper 2y ago
        I will not defend the claim that equality before the law exists in the U.S. It's still far from obvious to me that hundreds of entities have applied for coca import permits with legitimate justification and been denied.
Suppafly 2y ago
>"Equality before the law" is unfortunately a farce in this country, if you didn't already know. This specific case seems like it's more about the law grandfathering in an existing product vs whatever conspiracy theory you have in mind.
- cynicalpeace 2y ago
  Why it happened is chronicled by Ricardo Cortés in a lengthy series. https://rmcortes.medium.com/the-cocainemaker-reefer-madness-and-the-vice-president-of-the-coca-cola-company-e1b39e65b63c https://rmcortes.medium.com/the-cocainemaker-reefer-madness-... Why wasn't it grandfathered for traditional users of the leaves? It's amazing the moment you point out that massive institutions care more about each other than the little guy, you get called a conspiracy theorist.
int_19h 2y ago
Amusingly, Red Bull famously got in trouble over trace amounts of cocaine were found in their Simply Cola during govt certification process. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Simply_Cola#Cocaine_claim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Simply_Cola#Cocaine_c...

tombert 2y ago

> Coca-Cola still uses coca leaves in the production of its drink. Is this actually true? A quick search gives me a lot of sources like "Natural News" and similarly dubious sources. What do they actually use the Coca leaves for?

cynicalpeace 2y ago
It is 100% true. It seems a DEA source would convince you: https://museum.dea.gov/exhibits/online-exhibits/cannabis-coca-and-poppy-natures-addictive-plants/coca#:~:text=Coca%20and%20Cola%3A%20In%20the,the%20flavoring%20for%20Coca%2DCola https://museum.dea.gov/exhibits/online-exhibits/cannabis-coc.... "In the late 1800s cocaine was used as a primary ingredient for flavor in Coca-Cola. In the early 1900s cocaine in its crude form was removed. Today the extract of the coca leaves, a de-cocainized version, is manufactured in the United States and used in the flavoring for Coca-Cola."
- tombert 2y ago
  Fair enough!
- abcd_f 2y ago
  > DEA source It has a step-by-step description of cocaine extraction process further down the page. I mean you can probably find the same on the YT, but seeing it on a DEA site is still a bit jarring.
- Suppafly 2y ago
  >Today the extract of the coca leaves, a de-cocainized version, is manufactured in the United States and used in the flavoring for Coca-Cola." Interesting, I had always heard that they had to "de-cocainize" the extract outside the US and import the resulting product.
  - cynicalpeace 2y ago
    Nope. Coca-Cola and the Stepan Company have worked very hard to keep this fascinating fact under wraps. It's obviously not a good look for them.
    - cma 2y ago
      i thought they need the separated drug part of the extract anyway because that's the source we use to produce lidocaine in the US.
      - cynicalpeace 2y ago
        They do the extraction in New Jersey
greenavocado 2y ago
https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-06177.pdf https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-06177.pdf DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. DEA-1335] Importer of Controlled Substances Application: Stepan Company
- Andrex 2y ago
  Was it approved, denied, or still awaiting a decision?

Mistletoe 2y ago

It’s literally in the name, I’d be disappointed if it didn’t have coca in it. It definitely doesn’t have cocaine in it anymore though. I bet that sold like hotcakes when it did though.

fluoridation 2y ago

>"Equality before the law" is unfortunately a farce in this country, if you didn't already know. To be fair, it's not like they're letting them do whatever they want with the plants. They use them for a very specific purpose, and I'm sure there's very strict accounting involved, as is done with factories that produce solvents and their customers. The question is whether a new business could be started that had a legitimate use for coca and could get a similar exception extended to it.

cynicalpeace 2y ago
The answer is obviously not, since there's only 1 and there's been presumably hundreds of applicants (at least) who have tried the same and been rejected. It's actually a fascinating example of where government backs a private monopoly as opposed to breaking it up, which is often a case for having a strong government apparatus.
- lisper 2y ago
  > there's been presumably hundreds of applicants Well, that's exactly the question, isn't it. You can't presume this because the answer to the question turns on the actual fact of the matter.
  - cynicalpeace 2y ago
    I'm presuming it because it's very likely, we don't need a double blind randomized controlled study to declare certain things are true. Like that the idea "equality before the law" doesn't exist in this country, unfortunately.
    - lisper 2y ago
      I will not defend the claim that equality before the law exists in the U.S. It's still far from obvious to me that hundreds of entities have applied for coca import permits with legitimate justification and been denied.

Suppafly 2y ago

>"Equality before the law" is unfortunately a farce in this country, if you didn't already know. This specific case seems like it's more about the law grandfathering in an existing product vs whatever conspiracy theory you have in mind.

cynicalpeace 2y ago
Why it happened is chronicled by Ricardo Cortés in a lengthy series. https://rmcortes.medium.com/the-cocainemaker-reefer-madness-and-the-vice-president-of-the-coca-cola-company-e1b39e65b63c https://rmcortes.medium.com/the-cocainemaker-reefer-madness-... Why wasn't it grandfathered for traditional users of the leaves? It's amazing the moment you point out that massive institutions care more about each other than the little guy, you get called a conspiracy theorist.

int_19h 2y ago

Amusingly, Red Bull famously got in trouble over trace amounts of cocaine were found in their Simply Cola during govt certification process. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Simply_Cola#Cocaine_claim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Simply_Cola#Cocaine_c...