Episode 101: Coca-Cola and the Cocaine Connection

This podcast explores Coca-Cola's long history with coca leaves, revealing the company's involvement in importing and, briefly, domestically cultivating them. While Coca-Cola removed cocaine from its formula in the early 1900s, it continued using decocainized coca leaf extract, obtaining it through partnerships with companies like Maywood Chemical Works. This arrangement was facilitated by legal exemptions, allowing Coca-Cola exclusive access to coca leaves while restricting other potential uses. The article questions the fairness of this arrangement to Peruvian coca farmers, highlighting the company's monopolistic practices and the continued import of coca leaves into the 2010s. Ultimately, the article challenges the narrative that Coca-Cola's connection to the cocaine trade ended long ago.