Cocaine found in Red Bull energy drink: "It gives you wings"

Null-11

Null-11

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The following article is from the BBC News and can be found here.
The authorities in six German states have ordered retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after traces of cocaine were found in it.

The recall came after a sample analysis conducted in North-Rhine Westphalia found one liter of the drink contained 0.4 micrograms of the banned substance.

Officials said the cocaine levels were too low to pose a health threat but were not permitted in foodstuffs.

Red Bull said its cola was "harmless and marketable" in both the US and EU.

The company said coca leaf extracts were used worldwide as a natural flavoring, and that its own tests had found no traces of cocaine.

Classified as narcotic

The illegal cocaine alkaloid - one of 10 found in coca and representing only 0.8% of the plant's chemical make-up - is chemically removed before use, as mandated by international anti-narcotics agencies.

"There is no scientific basis for this ban on Red Bull Cola because the levels of cocaine found are so small," Fritz Soergel, the head of the Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg, Bavaria, told Time magazine.

"And it's not even cocaine itself. According to the tests we carried out, it's a non-active degradation product with no effect on the body. If you start examining lots of other drinks and food so carefully, you'd find a lot of surprising things."

But the authorities in North-Rhine Westphalia said the presence of coca leaf extracts meant the cola could not be classified as a foodstuff but as a narcotic, which would require a special license.

When Coca-Cola was first produced in the 19th Century, it famously contained traces of cocaine, but has not since 1903.
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Apparently there ads were right... it does give you wings or at least a mild high.

What's your opinion on this? I was certainly shocked to say the least.

And just curious... does anyone here at FP drink Red Bull? ~eeeek~
 
I never drank Red Bull but I'm surprised that it contained that kind of drug, even when the drink has been here for a number of years and no one knew about the secret then.
 
Its not the red bull energy drink that has this but its the red bull cola. Really they said you'd have to drink an insane amount to feel anything off of it, its so tiny
 
I prefer relentless then red ball. shocking that they would put drugs in it!
 
Wow, no Red Bull costs 1 more dollar than the casual energy drink- it actually works. I drink about two Red Bulls and a Sobe: Adrenaline Rush everyday, so I might just lay off the Red Bulls. Are you completely sure this is true?
 
I don't really find this that shocking like others say, I mean its just the soda anyhow. Coca-Cola believe it or not used to also have cocaine in it, although very small amounts.
 
Rok said:
Wow, no Red Bull costs 1 more dollar than the casual energy drink- it actually works. I drink about two Red Bulls and a Sobe: Adrenaline Rush everyday, so I might just lay off the Red Bulls. Are you completely sure this is true?
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Unfortunately it's very true. I haven't heard whether it's been proven to be an immediate health risk, but cocaine is cocaine; it's defiantly not good for you.

Gimgak said:
I don't really find this that shocking like others say, I mean its just the soda anyhow. Coca-Cola believe it or not used to also have cocaine in it, although very small amounts.
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Yeah, I've heard that about Coca-Cola, but the fact is that it doesn't have cocaine in it anymore because it's illegal. However, Red Bull seems to feel differently on the matter.

And at least from what I'm aware of, it is the energy drinks, not just their cola...
The authorities in six German states have ordered retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after traces of cocaine were found in it.
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Null-11 said:
Yeah, I've heard that about Coca-Cola, but the fact is that it doesn't have cocaine in it anymore because it's illegal. However, Red Bull seems to feel differently on the matter.
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That's true, Coca-Cola use to have cocaine in it before. I remember this funny story one of our teachers told us in class before on how the cocaine in the Coca-Cola was discovered.

I'll try to lay off of the Red Bulls. Me and my big sister drink them everyday.
 
Rok said:
That's true, Coca-Cola use to have cocaine in it before. I remember this funny story one of our teachers told us in class before on how the cocaine in the Coca-Cola was discovered.

I'll try to lay off of the Red Bulls. Me and my big sister drink them everyday.
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well I wouldn't worry about red bull's cocaine that much, but more at the amount you drink ~eeeek~
Seriously, I thought that 1-2 per week which I normally drink a jolt or a redbull was a lot -razz-
 
Gimgak said:
I don't really find this that shocking like others say, I mean its just the soda anyhow. Coca-Cola believe it or not used to also have cocaine in it, although very small amounts.
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Well we all knew this thats why it was called COKE lol
 
I'm kind of surprised at this. I know now, why they say that Red Bull doesn't actually give you wings but only restores mental alertness. They didn't use to do that before there was an incident where somebody was drunk and jumped off a cliff thinking he'd sprout wings.
 
I drink red bull but i never drank thier cola yet but i want to. And i dont really care if it does contain cocaine, its such a tiny amount to begain with and i smoke so not like iam really worried about a little cocaine lol.
 
i never drink redbull. its terrible from an athletes perspective and from a health perspective. just read a few health reports on it
 
Remember everyone, they are talking about Red Bull Cola, which I actually accidentally purchased a few days ago and can happily say I will never purchase again as it is disgusting and tastes very cheap. As for the cocaine being found in Red Bull Cola, I'm hardly surprised, and cant say I really care to be honest, it's not as if there is a big enough amount to do any harm to your body anyway. Way too much hype over such a small thing.
 
They just used a real coca plant for it I guess, unlike coca cola which just uses flavoring. And don't worry about regular red bull having it, their is no coca ingredient in it so no coke -razz-
 
I used to throw down energy drinks like an SUV does gas, but I never had that many red bulls. I was more into Monster and Rockstar, truth be told. Anyways, I guess this explains the whole "gives you wings" catchphrase. Joking aside, I was ready to be upset, but somebody raised a good point: There's probably not enough coke in the drink to do any serious damage. I've heard diet soda can lead to cancer, though the chances of it happening are slim to none and people guzzle down their diet pepsi, coke, etc, and for the most part, are not harmed by them. If people aren't developing cancer left and right from diet pop, then I doubt a little cocaine will hurt anybody, despite how anti-drugs some of us are (and for the record, I'm mostly straight edge. The only time I will use drugs is to help me sleep, if I'm taking an antidepressant, if I'm consuming something with caffeine or if I'm taking an aspirin.).
 
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