John Pemberton, a morphine-dependent pharmacist and Confederate veteran, created the original Coca-Cola recipe in 1886 as a medicinal elixir. The early version contained coca and kola extracts, along with small amounts of cocaine and caffeine. Various cocaine-containing drinks were available outside the U.S. by the late 1880s. Coca has been used in traditional medicine in South America for centuries. During WWI, cocaine and kola extracts were marketed to soldiers as stamina boosters. Cocaine was gradually removed from the market due to public health concerns, but Coca-Cola successfully lobbied to keep caffeine. Today, Coca-Cola uses decocainized coca leaves for flavoring and sells by-products to opioid manufacturers. Recently, they have considered entering the CBD beverage market amid declining soda sales. Teljes cikk (Magyarnemzet)