Illicits in our drinks

DRUGGED DRINKS: Beverages these days no longer contain drugs

WHEN lemon-lime drink 7-Up was invented in 1920, it contained Lithium, the drug commonly prescribed to sufferers of bi-polar disorder.

The drink was originally marketed as a hangover cure, due to the inclusion of lithium citrate. It was marketed ‘Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda’, but was change to 7-Up shortly after its release. Lithium remained one of the ingredients until 1950.

The name is most likely due to the original recipe containing seven ingredients, with the ‘up’ portion relating to the lithium, or the fact that lithium has an atomic mass of seven.

Another beverage that famously used to contain drugs is Coca Cola. Nine milligrams of cocaine was found in each glass, but in 1903, it was removed.

Cocaine is an addictive stimulant, and in the past, it was believed to have medicinal properties. Since Coca Cola was created to be used as a curative beverage, the inclusion of the drug was believed to help the consumer overcome headaches.

The amount used wasn’t as dangerous as the cocaine available now, but having remedial qualities, and the drug would get coke drinkers addicted, made for very profitable sales when it was first introduced onto the mass market.

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