It took a quarter of century from the time Albert Niemann obtained pure cocaine crystal in his lab to its use as an anesthetic. During this time, people preferred for its enhancement of endurance, strength and vigour, as well as its resistance to hunger. The most famous product was Coca Wine, the Vin Mariani.
Addicted South American Indians showed that coca was a lucrative business, but it was clearly impossible for Europeans and Americans to chew coca leaves. Therefore, French pharmacist Angelo Mariani soaked dry coca leaves in wine to dissolve cocaine, and it was named Vin Mariani. Drinking wine was not only in line with European and American habits, but mellow wine also covered the bitter taste, and more cocaine was dissolved in ethanol. Angelo Mariani claimed that it was an ideal stimulant, antidepressant, and painkiller. However, celebrity advertising invented by him rather than winemaking skills might be responsible for cocaine's rapid popularity in Europe and the United States.
A female singer from the Paris Opera quickly relieved her sore throat after drinking Coca Wine. Angelo Mariani was deeply inspired and decided to use endorsements from celebrity to rapidly capture the market. He sent boxes of free Coca Wine to the elites and celebrities of the time in exchange for signed and commented photos. His first target was the theater. As a result, he soon had his first loyal customers: actors and singers from Paris. Doctors also stated the miraculous potency of cocaine wine in medical journals and recommended it to patients. It is said that former US President Ulysses Grant suffered from throat cancer and long-term severe pain. The president would drink a teaspoon of Vin Mariani to alleviate unpleasant symptoms before going to bed each night. Cocaine wine supported him in finishing his memoirs.
It started as a barter of wine and endorsement, but it soon developed into a monetary transaction. Because this was a brand new business model, these celebrities should have suffered a great loss. According to current market situation, each advertisement and portrait would cost a lot of money, and no one could afford to pay all the celebrities. A large pile of letters and photos were snowing down on him: from the most important artists, officials, presidents, generals, bishops and scientists of the time. These photos and comments were published in newspapers or inserted as free supplements in the most influential European newspapers, much like supermarkets or stores promoting their goods today. Angelo Mariani should have made a fortune from cocaine wine so that he could afford tens of millions of such supplements. He also printed scientific brochure, monographs and celebrity biographies to advertise his products. These letters were also compiled into a series of albums whose each page featured a celebrity's photo, signature and praise for Vin Mariani. He even owned a lab, factory and museum with a greenhouse where several thousand cocas were grown. The museum's tiles, carpets and ceilings were adorned with coca related patterns.
Soon, everyone had heard of Vin Mariani. Competitors appeared on the market. More coca leaves were used by them to obtain a stronger euphoria, but other compounds with unpalatable tastes were also extracted into wine. The more cocaine, the worse it tasted. American manufacturers added refined cocaine directly. It destroyed coca wine and turned it into an addictive drug. Meanwhile, Mariani insisted that other components in coca leaves also made contribute to wine flavor. He hired doctors to warn in medical journals that imitations would only disappoint and recommended that patients should receive Vin Mariani.
However, more and more health risks and social problems emerged. The addictive nature of cocaine and its harm to the body gradually attracted great attention of governments, especially its negative impact on the nervous system and cardiovascular system. At the beginning of the 20th century, countries such as the United States and France successively legislated to ban cocaine-containing beverages, including Coca Wine and Coca-Cola.