The 1985 Death of Cocaine Bear (Episode 44)

In this episode, we're tackling one of the great wildlife stories of all time: Cocaine Bear. We'll get into the finer points of drug laws, a quick history of cocaine (a key ingredient in both shampoo and children's medicines!), the socioeconomic ramifications of Reagan's "War on Drugs", and the adrenaline-seeking hi-jinks of Drew Thornton II. But the real star of our story is the 175-pound black bear who stumbled upon a duffel bag of cocaine in the Georgia wilderness and ... ate it. 

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Sources:

Drew Thornton's Last Adventure by Sally Ann Denton for the Washington Post, October 20 1985

The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power Greed, Drugs and Murder, also by Sally Denton

Cocaine's Skydiving Smugglers by John S. Demott, Time Magazine, October 1985

Meet Our New Mascot: Cocaine Bear by Coleman Larkin, August 19 2015

The True Story Behind ‘Cocaine Bear’ by EJ Dickson for Rolling Stone

Cocaine Research: What is the Scope of Cocaine Usage in the United States