It's a global thing. Everyone repurposes side products of a process. Coca-Cola isn't allowed to have cocaine in the final product so it is extracted out and sold. (Coca-Cola doesn't actually do this their coca leaf supplier Stepan Company does).

It is a very American story.

Coca Cola uses coca leaves for the flavor. The government banned cocaine because of racism. Coca Cola had to remove the cocaine because of capitalism and made an arrangement with the government instead of going out of business thanks to corruption.