Coca originated in the Andes Mountains of South America and was revered by pre-Inca peoples as early as 500 BC. Leaves from the coca bush were used in religious ceremonies and are still used to combat debilitating effects of high altitudes. Cocaine alkaloid (a chemical compound found in coca bush leaves that is used in medicines, drugs, or as a poison)—or simply cocaine—was first isolated and purified in the mid-1800's. It became commonly used in the late 1800s, but by the early 1900s, people realized its harmful effects and it became regulated as a drug.

Prior to 1906, cocaine alkaloids were not separated from the flavoring used in making some cola-flavored soft drinks. Coca flavorings are still used in making today's cola-flavored soft drinks, but the cocaine alkaloids are removed and discarded.

Coca has been grown in numerous countries around the world, but it is grown in quantity only in a few South American countries. It has been grown in many other countries with tropical climates—even in Florida. Some of these countries supplied coca leaves for legitimate export and some grew coca only in botanical gardens—that is, gardens which are often open to the public and where exotic, rare, or scientifically interesting plants are grown. Some also tried growing coca for illegally making the illegal drug cocaine, too. For various reasons, however, by the mid 1900s, coca growing was virtually abandoned in all areas except South America.

There are more than 250 varieties of the coca plant, but only three are widely used in the illegal cocaine drug trade:
* Huanuco coca, grown in Bolivia and Peru
* Amazonian coca, grown in the Amazon River basin
* Colombian coca, grown primarily in Colombia

Source: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), "Coca Fact Paper: A Primer"

Colombian drug traffickers are responsible for most of the world’s cocaine base production, cocaine hydrochloride (HCl) production, and wholesale cocaine HCl distribution. While Colombia has long held the dubious honor of being the world’s largest producer of cocaine HCl, Colombia’s role as the world’s largest producer of cocaine base is relatively new. As a result of substantial increases in the size of Colombia’s domestic coca crop, Colombia is now the source of nearly 74 percent of the world’s cocaine base.

Source: DEA, "The Drug Trade in Colombia: A Threat Assessment," March 2002