Snorting Lines Safe Now?

We’re not talking about the lines you think we are. Chocoholics, this one is for you! An energy boosting snortable powder has made its way to the U.S. and teens are going loco for this Coco. Designed to give consumers an endorphin and serotonin rush, “Coco Loko” is a blend of raw cacao and taurine and B6 blend, ingredients often found in energy drinks. A tin of Coco Loko runs for $24.99 online.

The supplement was created by CEO of Legal Lean, Nick Anderson, who is known for concocting his own drug-free version of “lean” (a combination of cough syrup and promethazine codeine) and selling nearly 50,000 bottles of it a month. Coco Loko is the next step for Anderson. He claims that his cacao snuff is guaranteed to “give you…a little pep in your step.”

A little chocolate never hurt anybody, but the question remains: Is this stuff safe? Anderson did not consult with medical professionals, nor is the powder regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but he ensures that it is harmless, adding that he even uses the product himself as a substitute for alcohol and during times of anxiety. Medical experts like Dr. Jason Russel of the Toxicology Department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital think otherwise. Russel says the powder is risky because it has the same side effects as other energy boosting products. Users could experience increased blood pressure, caffeine toxicity, and contrary to the belief that chocolate helps people sleep better, insomnia.

Coco Loko has only been on the market for a month now and it doesn’t seem like Mr. Anderson has got this figured out just yet. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a burst of energy, stick to a Red Bull or eat a bar of chocolate the old fashion way!

~ Timia Whitsey