Bolivia's battle to decriminalize the coca leaf

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Bolivia East push For THE global decriminalization of Coca leaf – THE main ingredient of cocaine – has export THE factory And ease It is economic crisis.

THE South American nation East THE of the world third largest producer of both THE ancient leaf And cocaine himself. But out of Bolivia, Peru And Colombia, THE leaf East always classified as A narcotic by THE United Country And East on It is list of forbidden drugs. THE WE And other Western country to have long "blocked Bolivia attempts has decriminalize THE leaf", blame Coca Farmers – cocaleros – For "a lot of THE of the world medicine problems", said THE Independent.

But A "landmark" recent decision by THE World Health Organization has launch A study In THE non-narcotic benefits of Coca has “revived THE old hope of Bolivian Farmers". This study, which A Committee will consider In October, East "THE First of all stage In A long process has decriminalize THE leaf all over the world."

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Coca, Morales And UN prohibition

Native communities In South America – including THE Quechua And Aymara In Bolivia – to have long used Coca leaf In spiritual rituals And medicinal concoctions. But Bolivians legal RIGHT has chew THE leaf was lost When THE country (SO below A dictatorship) joined THE the UN 1961 Bachelor Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which has Since supported international medicine policy. 

In 2011, President Evo Morales (THE from the country First of all Native ruler And A ancient Coca producer And union chief) notified THE UN that Bolivia would be be withdraw Since THE convention. 

Moral, WHO had Already commonly thrown away THE WE Medicine Enforcement Agency out of Bolivia, argued that THE to forbid infringed THE new 2009 Constitution, which promised has "protect native And ancestral Coca as cultural heritage". leaf, THE argument went, was "not A narcotic" In It is natural State. In 2013, Bolivia readmitted has THE convention – with A exemption For chewing Coca leaves.

But that of Morales push For A WHO study on Coca finished In 2019, When he ran For A unconstitutional third term In desk. Demonstrations