I'm trying to understand where you're coming from.
Correct me if I'm wrong. What I think you're suggesting happens are these steps, in this order:

1. Import coca leaves
2. Process all coca leaves to produce medical cocaine
3. Use decocanised leaves to produce flavourings
4. As the demand for flavourings is far higher than the demand for medical cocaine, where does the rest of the cocaine go?

If that's what you're thinking then yes, I can see the problem. However, if the steps are:

1. Import leaves
2. Process all leaves to create flavourings
3. Re-process some (say 20%) of the leaves to create medicinal cocaine in amounts appropriate to world demand
4. Destroy all unnecessary leaves

Then I don't see the problem. The US government gets its medical cocaine (but no more than it needs) and coca cola get their flavourings. Both processes end up with the leaves either destroyed or in a legal form, but to me the second makes far more sense than the first.

Edit: Especially as an operation of this sort would be subject to massive public and federal scrutiny, I think that you would have to implicate large sections of the government in any plausible smuggling link. I just can't see that the benefits would outweigh the risks.
( MatJ LOOK, Mon 5 Dec 2011, 18:15, 1 reply)

My problem is that I dont see why any company would get an exemption
for the import or use of a plant that the US Government is quite keen to entirely eradicate just so that one particular manufacturer can make soft drinks out of it.

And I don't think big business in America is particularly scrutinised at all.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Mon 5 Dec 2011, 18:22, closed)