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OKIsItJustMe

(21,638 posts)

12. The "Coca-Cola had cocaine in it" bit is overblown

Thu Jul 24, 2025, 12:55 AM

Jul 24

The creator of the “secret formula” was a Civil War veteran, a pharmacist and morphine addict (as many wounded veterans were.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stith_Pemberton

He attempted to develop a palatable way to break his morphine addiction. His 1886 formula included coca leaves. He was partially successful. His formula was palatable, but he remained a morphine addict.

Desperate for money, he sold the business in 1888. His successor cut the amount of coca leaves, and in 1904 switched to “spent” coca leaves (leaves which had been processed to produce cocaine.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#Coca_leaf

Ironically. Coca-Cola got in trouble with “the feds” not over cocaine, but because of the amount of caffeine it contained.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#Kola_nuts_for_caffeine

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Bayard

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