What is Coca?

Have you ever wondered where cocaine comes from? It is made from the shrubs of the coca plant which grows most prominently in South America. A little known fact about the coca plant is that in the early 1800s when coca cola was first invented, the beverage was made with the same cocaine based plant and therefore was sold with the illegal stimulant in it. Present day coca cola is made with the cocaine free leaves although there are those who speculate that the addiction of coca cola is no accident given the ingredients.

With coca being the main ingredient in cocaine, many people wonder and worry about the coca cola beverage, energy drinks and coca tea. What happens is that the cocaine amount is small enough that the beverages are allowed to be legally sold in the U.S.

The coca plant can be chewed as is to get an immediate high from the cocaine in it. South Americans can be seen chewing on them as commonly as one might smoke a cigarette or dip chewing tobacco in the U.S. and Canada.

The coca plant is most widely grown in Peru and Bolivia. The plant is used for medicinal purposes, however, it is also used for illegal drug stimulation. Attempting to grow the plant in the U.S. as a means to acquire cocaine is illegal. It is important to educate our young people so that they are aware of the addicting and harmful ramifications of the coca plant when used illegally for cocaine. While the high one gets from cocaine seems pleasant enough, it takes very little time to get addicted and could ultimately lead to physical ailments and even death.

As with most medicinal plants, it does have its purposes in the medical field as well as in tea and coca cola. Always stay within the confines of buying it in its legal products and leave the plant itself alone; this is the best advice anyone can give or get concerning the coca plant.