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It’s World Chocolate Day, and Legal Lean wants you thinking about one thing: getting buzzed off its latest product, Coko Loko.
And what exactly is this FDA-approved substance? According to the company, Coko Loko is “infused raw cacao snuff” and each snort promises 30-minutes of the ultimate endorphin and serotonin rush, plus euphoric energy. The chocolate snuff joins a laundry list of other products—such as Legal Lean Act, Purple Drank and Sleep Walker— sold by the company that offers various ways to boost users’ stamina, vitality or feelings of euphoria.
According to the Washington Post, the company’s owner, Nick Anderson, says he was inspired to create the product after learning about the burgeoning European trend. Anderson initially invested $10,000 in his start-up venture and spent more than two months perfecting the mix. Despite the company’s success hawking 40,000-50,000 bottles of Legal Lean each month, there are some concerns about whether selling Coko Loko is as sweet of a deal as it sounds.
There is a definite buzz about this buzz, which means it’s imperative that folks have a frank conversation with loved ones—particularly tweens, teens and college students—about the product and its potential risks.
For starters, the verdict is still out on whether Coko Loko will harm users’ nasal membranes—and the long-term impact of physically snorting a powder on a regular basis—something only time and research can determine. Next, there’s also that whole addiction question. Will users get hooked on the caffeine rush? How will the other ingredients, such as taurine and guarana, all connected with the increased risk of developing high-blood pressure and heart palpitations, impact customers? Lastly, and most importantly, who will Coko Loko be marketed to? Will this product disproportionately target minority patrons? What does a community look like when its teens and young adults are literally “in love with the cacao” and running around high?
There is a definite buzz about this buzz, which means it’s imperative that folks have a frank conversation with loved ones—particularly tweens, teens and college students—about the product and its potential risks.
