A company in the USA has launched a chocolate powder that it says people can snort to get high. The product is based on the raw cocoa bean, which is where chocolate comes from. It is called Coko Loko and the company claims it provides a drug-free energy "high". Coco Loko is manufactured by a company called Legal Lean. Its CEO Nick Anderson explained how he came to market his product. He said he first heard about people snorting chocolate in Europe. He initially thought it was a hoax, but then he tried it and realized that it had commercial prospects. Mr Anderson told reporters that his company's chocolate product is, "probably equal to about two energy drinks".
The powder is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many doctors are concerned about whether the powder is safe. Toxicology expert Dr Jason Russell warned that the product had the same risk factors as other energy supplements. He said there was a risk of increased blood pressure, insomnia and increased heart rate. The HuffPost website said it was concerned that the product does not have an official ingredients list, so users do not know what is in it. The website recommended that people eat chocolate instead of sniffing it to make sure they do not suffer any health problems. Mr Anderson said: "There are no health issues. It's been out two, three years. Everyone seems fine."
