<PREVIOUS

As the 'War on Drugs' continues, the remaining parts of Colombia's ancient rainforest are razed to accomodate more and smaller coca plantations that are harder to fumigate.

Pricking the coca leaves off the plants is a tough job - very hard on the hands. The 'raspachines' who do the job make about 2 US$ a basket (10 kg). Usually the plantations have their own 'lab' where a pasta containing cocaine alkaloids (the 'coca-base' or 'basuco') are extracted from the coca leaves. Out of the 10 kg they extract about 10 grams of base which of course is a lot easier to transport than a basketful of leaves. Although the base can be smoked (the effect is a lot stronger and more addictive than cocaine) it is usually processed into cocaine at a later stage.

Usually, either guerrilla or paramilitaries visit the farmer to buy the coca pasta at a set price of about 700 US$ per kilo. After processing, the street price of a kilo of pure cocaine in Colombia is about 1500 US$. Once the same kilo of cocaine hits the street in the US, the price has been driven up to US$ 25,000. The aggregated 1,600% has disappeared into the pockets of smugglers, police, army and of course US government officials, who want to keep the 'War on Drugs' going to ensure good prices - they also know that demand will always generate supply, and as long as the war consists of spraying chemicals over poor farmers in a foreign country their careers run little risk.

On a side note let's talk about the urban myth of Coca-Cola's coca content. Up to 1906, Coca-Cola, as with a lot of products (most notably wines, recommended even by the Pope at the time), did contain cocaine. Then the US government made cocaine illegal as it was believed to be the cause of racial violence amongst blacks. After this Coca-Cola started using 'de-cocainized' coca (according to the CIA website). They import a yearly 220 tonnes of coca from Bolivia and Peru. In the mid-80's, amid the so-called "crack epidemic", coca-cola removed all coca derivates from its drink. It lost significant market share to Pepsi, until the product was re-released with the cocaine derivatives back in under the marketing brand of Classic Coke. Although they are the only ones allowed by the US government to advertise with the word coca, a lot of US companies use coca flavor essences (usually referred to as "Natural Flavors" in their products). Only one New Jersey based company is allowed to perform the extraction process. The de-cocained end-product is known by the mysterious name of "Merchandise No. 5". The cocaine obtained is sold to the pharmaceutical industry to be used in medicine. One application is as an anaesthetic in rhynoplasty.

 

As a bonus, here's the supposed best kept secret in the world, just in case you'd like to try it at home:

COCA-COLA RECIPE:
(attributed to a formulary book owned by Coca-Cola inventor, John S. Pemberton) :
* Ingredients:
o 1 oz caffeine citrate o 3 oz citric acid
o 1 fl oz extract vanilla
o 1 qt lime juice
o 2 1⁄2 oz flavoring
o 30 lb (14 kg) sugar
o 4 fl oz fluid extract of coca
o 2 1⁄2 gal water
o Caramel sufficient
* Flavoring:
o 80 Oil orange
o 40 Oil cinnamon
o 120 Oil lemon
o 20 Oil coriander
o 40 Oil nutmeg
o 40 Oil neroli
o 1 qt alcohol
* Directions:
o "Mix caffeine acid and lime juice in 1 quart boiling water add vanilla and flavoring when cool. Let stand for 24 hours."

Cheers,

Niels

www.niels.com

The 'photo of the month' is not meant as something pretentious, it is not even chosen by any jury. It could be an advertising photo I did, or a photo for a magazine or record cover. Something telling you of a journey I made or the city I'm in. Or a snapshot of my girlfriend. The only criterium it has to meet is that it was made in the last month. And that I believe it is worth bothering you with...
I am very sorry for the not-very-personal tone and character of this mail - you may or may not remember me, we might have met in some sleazy bar in some part of the earth and exchanged emails, we might be colleagues or best friends, or just share an interest in photography. We might have worked or even lived together in the past.
Of course, if you would not like to receive any more mails just let me know and I will remove you from the list.
And if you know of other people that might like to receive it please let me know as well...
Thanks for your time and hope you are well!