Bolivia urges UN to defy Washington and legalise coca

[struggle4progress]

By Sophie Arie in La Paz
(Filed: 20/03/2006)

<snip> Under the slogan "coca is not cocaine", politicians, consumers and growers across the Andes are promoting the leaf's qualities and calling for coca-based tea, yoghurt, bread, toothpaste, shampoo and soap to be mass produced and exported.

Its fans claim it helps digestion, provides more vital vitamins, nutrients and fibre than most vegetables and can even combat obesity.

But the plant has been listed by the United Nations as a poisonous species since 1961 because it also contains the alkaloid needed to make cocaine.

Bolivia has this week been arguing the case for legalising coca to the UN narcotics and crime agency in Vienna and hopes to change its status by 2008. <snip>

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/20/wboliv20.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/20/ixworld.html

[Richard D]

1. This would be a good thing.

Coca leaf is a great herbal medicine. No way it should be illegal.