Is it true that coca cola was once made with cocaine in it?. Is that why the nickname for it is Coke?

Question

I was told years ago that coca cola was originally made with a small amount of cocaine in it. Can anyone tell me if this is true?

Answer 1

Yes definately. That is why the name. It was medicine when first used.
Coca-Cola
was named back in 1885 for its two "medicinal" ingredients: extract of coca leaves and kola nuts. Just how much cocaine was originally in the formulation is hard to determine, but the drink undeniably contained some cocaine in its early days. Frederick Allen describes the public attitude towards cocaine that existed as Coca-Cola's developers worked on perfecting their formula in 1891:
The first stirrings of a national debate had begun over the negative aspects of cocaine, and manufacturers were growing defensive over charges that use of their products might lead to "cocainism" or the "cocaine habit". The full-throated fury against cocaine was still a few years off, and Candler and Robinson were anxious to continue promoting the supposed benefits of the coca leaf, but there was no reason to risk putting more than a tiny bit of coca extract in their syrup. They cut the amount to a mere trace.
How much cocaine was in that "mere trace" is impossible to say, but we do know that by 1902 it was as little as 1/400 of a grain of cocaine per ounce of syrup. Coca-Cola didn't become completely cocaine-free until 1929, but there was scarcely any of the drug left in the drink by then:

By Heath's calculation, the amount of ecgonine [an alkaloid in the coca leaf that could be synthesized to create cocaine] was infinitesimal: no more than one part in 50 million. In an entire year's supply of 25-odd million gallons of Coca-Cola syrup, Heath figured, there might be six-hundredths of an ounce of cocaine.
So, yes, at one time there was cocaine in Coca-Cola. But before you're tempted to run off claiming Coca-Cola turned generations of drinkers into dope addicts, consider the following: back in 1885 it was far from uncommon to use cocaine in patent medicines (which is what Coca-Cola was originally marketed as) and other medical potions.

Answer 2

Coca Cola did once have small amounts of cocaine. This was well known and not considered shocking in an era when cocaine was used primarily for medicinal purposes such as pain relief in dentistry. In the Southern States Coke was often referred to as 'dope' well into the 1930's.

Answer 3

Positively Yes Sir. There be the origin of Cola: They sold this as an over the counter tonic which many tonic seekers would have as a casual beverage100 years ago. And 100 years ago the only ingredient was cocaine ! A whopping amount if ya drank the whole small bottle.

Answer 4

yes, its true that it contained cocaine:

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp

How much was in it?
"by 1902 it was as little as 1/400 of a grain of cocaine per ounce of syrup. Coca-Cola didn't become completely cocaine-free until 1929"

The nickname 'coke' is simply short for 'coca cola'

Answer 5

Yes, that is correct. And guess what, There is a company in one of those South American countries today that stil makes the original cocacola with cocaine in it. Some of those communities down south chew lots of coco leaves for energy boost. I guess they figured if they make it in a drink they could save the people the time and energy wasted on chewing.

Answer 6

Yes that's true. It started in a small chemist and they put Cocaine in it so that people would want to drink it more. Obviously they have replaced that with caffeine now.

Answer 7

Yes it was made with cocanie because if you go on www.wikipedia.org and search for coca-cola you'll notice that they changed it to cafene after some people who were drinking it were dying.

Answer 8

Yes, you are right. There must have been quite a few coke-heads walking around then , not knowing they are being drugged hehe. I suppose the amount they used was so small that it did not affect people but i do know people who are addicted to coke. Got to have it, got to sort of attitude.:))

Answer 9

Your right, Coke did have cocaine in it.
Long ago cocaine was thought of as a fix all, they used to give it to teething baby's, women who weren't feeling well during their monthly, men who just couldn't stay awake during working hours.
It was thought of as a medical necessity.

Answer 10

yes its true. i saw it on the history channel. b4 cocaine was outlawed like in 1936 or something alot of stuff had cocaine in it.