Legal Lean offers containers of the Coco Loko powder for a standard price of $24.99 on its website.
Nick Anderson, founder of Legal Lean, told the Washington Post he sought to develop the powder made up of typical energy drink ingredients such as gingko biloba, taurine and guarana, after hearing of a "chocolate-snorting trend" in Europe.
"At first, I was like, 'Is this a hoax?'" he said. "And then I tried it and it was like, OK, this is the future right here."
Anderson, 29, invested $10,000 to develop the chocolate snuff, which creates an effect "almost like an energy-drink feeling, like you're euphoric but also motivated to get things done" for about 30 minutes to an hour.
While Coco Loko is available for purchase in the United States, it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which has not determined how to regulate the product.
"In reaching that decision, FDA will need to evaluate the product labeling, marketing information, and/or any other information pertaining to the product's intended use," FDA spokesman Peter Cassell said.
Director of the Johns Hopkins Sinus Center, Dr. Andrew Lane, noted a lack of data about the specific health risks of inhaling chocolate, but warned that there are inherent risks to consuming solids through the human nose.
"There are a few obvious concerns," Lane said. "First, it's not clear how much of each ingredient would be absorbed into the nasal mucus membranes. And, well, putting solid material into your nose -- you could imagine it getting stuck in there, or the chocolate mixing with your mucus to create a paste that could block your sinuses."
