Red Bull high on cocaine, says German Govt

The German states of Hesse and North-Rhine Westphalia have banned the sale of Red Bull after finding traces of cocaine during tests. A nationwide ban is likely to follow as the drink will have to be reclassified as a narcotic under German law.

The German states of Hesse and North-Rhine Westphalia have banned the sale of Red Bull after finding traces of cocaine during tests.

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Levels of the chemical were not high enough to pose a health risk, but require the drink to be reclassified as a narcotic under German law. A nationwide ban is likely to follow.

The manufacturer of Red Bull has rejected the ban as baseless, claiming that the “de-cocainized (sic) extract of coca leaf is used worldwide in foods as a natural flavouring", and pointed out that coca leaf extract is considered safe for use as an additive within the Eurpean Union and the United States.