U.S. law grants the Coca-Cola company a unique
exemption to import coca leaves while prohibiting
anyone else from importing what might otherwise
become a popular superfood.
Coca leaves have been chewed and consumed as tea for thousands of years in the high Andes.
They are rich in many essential nutrients; they ease respiratory and digestive distress and are a
natural stimulant and painkiller. Indigenous tradition and scientific studies have both confirmed
that in their natural form, the leaves are completely safe and non-addictive—it takes intensive
processing and toxic chemical ingredients to produce cocaine. That’s why more and more cocacontaining
products have started to hit the market in Andean countries in the past few years.
Yet the United States still aggressively pursues an eradication policy that encourages Andean
governments to spray their forests with toxic chemicals to eliminate this medicinal crop. It is
illegal to import or possess the leaves under U.S. law—unless you’re the Coca-Cola company.
In an effort to preserve the traditional flavor of the best-selling drink, the company long ago
convinced the U.S. government to exempt it from the law. But don’t worry: the chemicals that
can be used to make cocaine—and that provide many of the leaves’ benefits—have all been
removed from Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola, by the way, used to literally contain cocaine in its original formula. The practice
was halted in 1903, but the name persisted. The “coca” part of “coca-cola” is derived from the
coca plant, and the “kola” comes from the kola nut which also
flavored the original beverage.
U.S. law grants the Coca-Cola company a uniqueexemption to import coca leaves while prohibitinganyone else from importing what might otherwisebecome a popular superfood.Coca leaves have been chewed and consumed as tea for thousands of years in the high Andes.They are rich in many essential nutrients; they ease respiratory and digestive distress and are anatural stimulant and painkiller. Indigenous tradition and scientific studies have both confirmedthat in their natural form, the leaves are completely safe and non-addictive—it takes intensiveprocessing and toxic chemical ingredients to produce cocaine. That’s why more and more cocacontainingproducts have started to hit the market in Andean countries in the past few years.Yet the United States still aggressively pursues an eradication policy that encourages Andeangovernments to spray their forests with toxic chemicals to eliminate this medicinal crop. It isillegal to import or possess the leaves under U.S. law—unless you’re the Coca-Cola company.In an effort to preserve the traditional flavor of the best-selling drink, the company long agoconvinced the U.S. government to exempt it from the law. But don’t worry: the chemicals thatcan be used to make cocaine—and that provide many of the leaves’ benefits—have all beenremoved from Coca-Cola.Coca-Cola, by the way, used to literally contain cocaine in its original formula. The practicewas halted in 1903, but the name persisted. The “coca” part of “coca-cola” is derived from thecoca plant, and the “kola” comes from the kola nut which alsoflavored the original beverage.
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