Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Coca Leaves Finally Get a Little Respect

Coca leaves and other products for sale on a Bogotá plaza. The salesman said these were imported from Peru.
Altho technically banned, Colombia's indigenous peoples
 cultivate and market coca leaf products.
For thousands of years, coca leaves have been chewed by Andean indigenous peoples, who also attribute to them religious significance. But then Europeans took coca leaves home and figured out how to extract a drug, which millions of people, particularly north Americans, proceeded to get themselves addicted to.

In 1961, to protect addicts in rich countries, the United Nations prohibited cultivating and chewing the leaves.

The prohibition seems wildly unfair. After all, even during U.S. alcohol Prohibition, grapes were still legal (and were marketed with instructions about how to turn them into an inebriating liquid). Coca leaves contain such a tiny amount of the cocaine alkaloid that they give users just a slight pick-me-up.

Vendors claim that coca products
cure all manner of ailments.
In 2009, to protest the U.N. prohibition, Bolivian Pres. Evo Morales, a one-time coca farmer who still heads a coca farmers organization, withdrew his country from the United Nations Convention on illegal drugs. The prohibition, he said, equated traditional coca leaf farmers with "narcotraffickers and drug users."

The other day, the U.N. readmitted Bolivia - with a special clause permitting coca leaf chewing. Incredibly, 15 countries objected to the exception for coca leaf chewing. And leading the opposition was, of course, the United States.

It's a tiny crack in the drug prohibitionism, and it begins to repair a huge historical double standard. After all, the same 1961 treaty which prohibited indigenous peoples' ancient traditions also included a specific exception for the Coca Cola Company, which adds a cocaine-free coca leaf extract to its soft drink.
But the exception doesn't include the other Andean nations, including Colombia, where indigenous people chew coca leaves and many people buy teas, cookies, ointments and drinks made from the leaves. And, there's of course no mention of the many millions of people all over the world who would surely like to try such coca leaf products, whose makers claim they provide all sorts of health benefits.

So, for the foreseeable future, these leaves, which could provide another export for Colombia and help relieve the country's beleaguered farmers, will remain technically prohibited.

Related Blogposts:

Taking a Courageous Stand Against...Leaves

Good Riddance to 'La Mata que Mata!'
By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

21 comments:

Stuart Oswald said...

Even chewing coca leaf is not acceptable. Regardless of culture, there are some things that people need to move on from.

mauricio forero l said...

This guy Stuart Oswald is such a moron, his comments are always so stupid, but I guess is the kind of stuff that you have to deal when you get in to some blogs...What can you do??? be patient perhaps, tolerant??? Is almost like a curse. i came from a wonderful trip to N.Y. only to get here and find his incredibly ignorant notes...
God, just make me more patient.

M. Forero.

Stuart Oswald said...

Go with the flow and accept that not everyone can agree with you. It's not good to live in a bubble where you only hear what you want. My opinions should serve to open your mind a little (at least). It's important as the posts by our good Mike do tend to be one sided a majority of the time. PS please stop sending rude emails to me, it doesn't help any of your points. You cannot dampen or coerce my opinion.

clemente said...

Anthropology is my field and, I can tell you Mr Oswald, that Chewing coca leaves, is and old and very well respected tradition among South American tribes. This is an act that has to do with believes and cultural legacy. How can you just go and make an statesman like the one you posted.
Do I do not like Mr Forero's words, calling people stupid is not practical and polite, but I do believe that your post is very irrational.

Miguel said...

Hi Mauricio,

You don't do yourself or your beliefs any favors by insulting people.
, ,
You should respond to Stuart's arguments, not attack him personally.
, ,
Mike

Miguel said...

Hi Stuart - I'd like to know how chewing coca leaves is worse than chewing tobacco, which can be addictive and cause psychological effects.
, ,
Also, it seems to me that by permitting legal products to be made from coca leaves, your diverting those leaves from becoming cocaine.
, ,
Mike

mauricio forero l said...

Hey Mike. Sorry dude, I say sorry because I think that in fact you are a very moderate blogger, but This guy Oswald really gets on my nerves and, for what I've noticed, I'm not the only one, in his extreme ignorance he believes he has the right to make statesman like the one above, or when he calls people DISGUSTING LITTLE MAN and more insulting stuff...So yes, I'm not very diplomatic like Mr Clemente, but I have to say something after reading such a ridiculous post. To be honest Miguel I'm surprised at your silence when it comes to his comment. any way, I still enjoy your blog.

M. Forero.

Stuart Oswald said...

I think you both mean "statements" or "statement", statesman is far from a typo.

I'll be honest, I couldn't care less what anyone chews, as long as it doesn't affect me in "any" way (cost or enticement otherwise ;). I merely wanted to highlight, to so called intellects, that this blog has in the past sought to demonize one set of cultures in favour of others.

It's worth noting to any proclaimed or self-proclaimed specialist of any field that something being a respected tradition does not necessarily make it good, correct or humane. I would say all in all that it is a legacy of a culture.

And Mauricio, I am entirely comfortable calling your shameful friend Orlando a disgusting little (or big) man for that is exactly what he is. Actually I would consider that a very nice thing to complement any fascist or marxist with. So be glad I restrained myself.

I accept this blog for the opinions herein, but that does not conform me to agree with all sentiments. However you seem happy in your own ignorance so I will try not to disturb you so much in the future.

I'm impressed but concerned as to why both of you feel the need use my surname (?). Stuart would simply suffice.

Stuart Oswald said...

Oh Miguel, how about, just permitting the coca leaves to stay unplucked and allow as to merely admire them where they belong rather than use them for any other selfish humane reasons?

mauricio forero l said...

When you have somebody like Oswald in front of you and he goes and, in a mysterious momentum, out of the blue, writes, EVEN CHEWING COCA LEAF IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, you feel like you are in front of somebody that, is in a state of delirium, or that in a very desperately looking for attention. So how can you establish a dialog or an argument after reading such a ridiculous statement. It's like holding a discussion about the importance of legs in the human body, and he writes, "no, I don't think we need legs, they're just not that important." I think this guy is just looking for attention.

M. Forero

Stuart Oswald said...

And you're giving me attention without any argument. Just silly abuse.

Miguel said...

Hi Mauricio,

To be clear, I'm not agreeing with Stuart's ideas about coca leaves. I rarely agree with him. But I believe in free speech. And, his ideas aren't outside the range of standard opinions (unfortunately). After all, the U.S. government agrees with him.
, ,
But, Mauricio, you're just harming your own ideas by using insults, which cost you respect in the eyes of the rest of us.
, ,
Mike

Miguel said...

Hi Stuart,

I don't understand your description of consuming coca leaves as a 'selfish human reason.' By that definition, what ISN'T a 'selfish human reason'? How about eating corn or potatoes, for example? Or wearing cotton? And is that bad?
, ,
Mike

Stuart Oswald said...

Maybe the sarcasm didn't stretch too far. I meant "selfish human reason" in that why can't we just let the Erythroxylaceae live with it's leaves intact.

Unfortunately for me I prefer not to absorb stimulant chemicals (natural or concocted) into my body. Whether a government agrees with me or even if it is standard understanding or not, makes no difference to the argument. I am responsible to myself and society around me.

Cocaine (benzoylmethylecgonine) is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is a stimulant, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic. Biologically, cocaine acts as a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor, also known as a triple reuptake inhibitor. It is addictive because of its effect on the mesolimbic reward pathway.

Teleterkji said...

White man tried to stop native americans use of peyotl.They tried to patent ayahuasca,and for some time it was illegal.But they have not succeeded.White mans effort to make war with religions not of his understanding,have been a horror show of our history,but is now coming to an end.I salute Evo Morales for winning back the right to chew coca leaves and worship Pachamama.

Miguel said...

Hi Teleterkji - Thanks for your comment. Of course, the Bolivians never stopped chewing coca.

Mike

Teleterkji said...

Thank you Miguel
I enjoyed reading about coca leaves.
I live in Norway,& have been ordering Mate de Coca for a while now.I believe we should have alternatives to caffeine,as it makes me uneasy.I find great remedy in small natural amounts of cocaine.
I have no car,so i don`t have to worry about urin samples.
Have a good day.Mr.:)

Miguel said...

Hi Teleterkji,

I'm impressed that you can get mate de coca in Norway. And also happy to hear that you don't have a car. I don't think that walking or bicycling after drinking mate poses any threat.

Best,

Mike

Teleterkji said...

Hi Mike

Appreciate your responses.Yes It was a surprise for me to get coca tea through customs.I used to have these imprinted issues with the cocabush,until i started to read about it.But as of today i understand the customs are not looking for teabags.They are looking for dangerous chemicals,guns,etc.Things that bring harm to people.Coca tea brings health & spirit to people,& great oxygen for bicycling.:)

Miguel said...

But I bet that if the wrong customs person stumbled on your tea bags, they'd confisticate them, at least.

Mike

Teleterkji said...

You Betcha!

There are people,& then there are people..

:)