It seems a week can't go by without a fake controversy concerning energy drinks and cocaine. That's not by accident. Energy drink makers encourage the connection because of cocaine's reputation for providing a jolt and being a party drug.
Thus beverages such as Cocaine Energy Drink imply how powerful they are when in reality the drink contains about as much caffeine as a 20-ounce cup of drip coffee. And Cocaine Energy prides itself on containing the most caffeine of any energy drink. Most contain around 100 milligrams of caffeine, less than a shot of espresso.
The newest controversy doesn't deal with wannabe drugs but actually has to do with cocaine, minute amounts of it. Red Bull Cola was found to contain "trace measures" of the drug. From Time Magazine:
According to this analysis, the 0.13 micrograms of cocaine per can ofThis is a much ado about nothing.the drink does not pose a serious health threat -- you'd have to drink
12,000 L of Red Bull Cola for negative effects to be felt -- but it was
enough to cause concern.
If it really was enough to cause concern, then the United States Treasury would have to remove dollars from circulation as the average U.S. bill has 0.16 micrograms of cocaine on it. Higher amounts for higher denominations.
It's ridiculous for six of Germany's
16 states to ban the drink based on such trace amounts. The United
States even allows its drinking water to have higher levels of lead up to 0.25 micrograms.
Red
Bull Cola contends the cocaine showed up from the all-natural process
in which it adds the coca to the drink. All the while Bolivia just
wants people to understand coca and cocaine are two entirely different
things:
Halfway around the world and smack in the middleTheof the Andes, the controversy is causing chuckles. Coca is a
fundamental part of Andean culture and for years, Bolivians have tried
to get the world to understand that the leaf is not a drug if it's not
put through the extensive chemical process that yields cocaine.
reason to avoid Red Bull Cola is because you don't like it, not because
of drug worries. As for me, I'll stick to the cheap, effective drug of
coffee.
(Image via Flickr: Polaroid Memories)
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