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From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: cocaine in (very) old coke
Message-ID: <561@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Jul-85 03:50:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtech.561
Posted: Wed Jul 17 03:50:04 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jul-85 02:29:49 EDT
References: <8765@microsoft.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 36

>
> Although its true that the original Coke formulation had some cocaine
> in it, it was in trace amounts.  You'd have to drink more than a gallon
> of the syrup (which was how it was originally consumed, anyway) to get
> a good dose of cocaine.  The cocaine had the same role in the formula
> that cola leaves do now - it was there for the sake of listing it on
> the ingredients.  (Cola leaves don't taste like "cola"... cola is a
> totally artificial flavor.  Cola leaves taste very bad, which is why
> so few are put in Coke, so you can't taste them.  Other colas don't bother
> with any cola leaves...)
> 
> 	gordon letwin

You're confusing coca leaves with cola nuts.  Coca leaves contain cocaine;
Coca Cola many years ago contained cocaine from coca leaves, but not much.
According to the book "Big Secrets" (I don't remember the author), a bottle
of Coke had about the same stimulating effect as a cup of coffee.  They
extracted most of the cocaine from the leaves, but left enough in to create
the effect (not intentionally, said the Coca Cola company).  Eventually,
the federal government made them take all the cocaine out.  However, they still
use the leaves in the drink, after extracting the cocaine.  I have no idea
what they do with the drug after extracting it.  I'm also not sure how
coca leaves taste.

Cola nuts contain no cocaine, and almost no flavor.  According to "Big
Secrets," there have been taste tests comparing cola (the drink) with and
without cola nuts, and no one could tell the difference.

If I find my copy of "Big Secrets," I will post the whole story of
Coca Cola.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

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