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Coca-Cola once had cocaine in every glass πŸ₯€
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Dark HistoryJul 30, 2026

Coca-Cola once had cocaine in every glass πŸ₯€

Coca-Cola once had cocaine in every glass πŸ₯€ . . . From 1886 to 1903, Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton's original recipe contained roughly 9 mg of cocaine per serving from real coca leaves. It was advertised as a cure for headaches and 'melancholy.' Even after cocaine was removed, the company kept importing coca leaves β€” the decocainized extract is still in the formula today.

Source

Smithsonian Magazine, 2013, 'How Coca-Cola Became a Standard of Purity'; Mark Pendergrast, 2013, 'For God, Country, and Coca-Cola'

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