As you are all aware from our brief History of Cocaine article, the social attitudes to the drug have changed quite dramatically over the course of a century.

This little advertisement for Vin Mariani demonstrates that change quite nicely.

Vin Mariani was a popular coca wine that received a lot of endorsements from a lot of famous people. The status of the Pope’s position wasn’t even any barrier to recommending a cocaine based product!

As more people became aware of the problems associated with regular use of cocaine its social acceptability declined to the poimt where it was eventually criminalised.

It is a little difficult today to imagine the Pope endorsing any product let alone an illicit drug.

How times change!