I remember back in junior high school when the rumors circulated that Coca-Cola was actually laced with cocaine. Any one else remember that one? Well, those rumors are back, but they involve Red Bull Cola this time.
Red Bull Cola is roughly a year old and is supposed to supply the same "kick" that Red Bull gives -- but officials in Germany believe the kick comes from cocaine.
Here's the problem: the Austrian-based company, Red Bull GmbH, boasts that its cola is 100% natural and it uses the coca leaf. The use of the coca-leaf extract led to positive tests for cocaine when German officials scrutinized Red Bull Cola.
Actually, the head of the food safety department in Germany's federal ministry for consumer protection stated that it "examined Red Bull Cola in an elaborate chemical process and found traces of cocaine."
A Red Bull spokesman insists that his firm's product is considered safe in Europe and the United States. In fact, the spokesman contends that "it's not even cocaine itself. According to the tests we carried out, it's a nonactive 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."
This is a bit of free publicity for Red Bull Cola, as it could generate a buzz (pardon the pun) around the drink. Remember, there are some who say any publicity is good publicity -- and that may very well be the case here for Red Bull.
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