Coca Myths
The present issue of Drugs & Conflict intends to debunk and disentangle the most prominent myths surrounding the coca leaf. It aims to clear the air and help steer the debate towards a more evidence-based judgement of the issues.
History has been unjust to the coca leaf, denying it distribution on a global scale despite its proven value as an energy enhancer, while limiting its potential for widespread use as a healthy alternative to all sorts of chemical stimulants currently available on the world market.
The inclusion of the coca leaf in the 1961 Single Convention’s lists of drugs liable to abuse, and therefore subject to international control, has not produced the effect originally desired: traditional use - whether by chewing the leaves or drinking them in an infusion - is still widespread, though largely limited to a few countries where such practices have historical antecedents. Potential demand is high, particularly for coca tea. The ban of even this innocuous custom is still one of the demands repeated annually in the statements of the INCB, the interpretive body of the UN control system. This unreasonable posture has recently led to a formal request from one government to abrogate the articles of the 1961 Convention that demand abolishing of coca leaf chewing.
The present issue of Drugs & Conflict intends to debunk and disentangle the most prominent myths surrounding the coca leaf. It aims to clear the air and help steer the debate towards a more evidence-based judgement of the issues. Discussion has been stuck for too long at the point where it is now, and - sometime in the near future - political decisions will need to be made on coca’s fate and legal status.
- Go to the online summary
- Towards a world market for coca leaf? Pien Metaal
About the authors
Pien Metaal
Pien Metaal is a researcher with TNI. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science and International Relations from University of Amsterdam. She has been a member of the Transnational Institute's Drugs and Democracy team since 2002, though her participation with the Programme dates further back.
She lived in Latin America for several years, spending most of that time in the Andean region. During those years, she dedicated most of her time and energy to research, development and implementation of drug policy, particularly in relation to coca and cocaine, and worked with local and international experts and NGOs. She has written numerous articles, and contributed to various books and publications on the drug policy in Latin America since 1996.
Recent publications from Drugs and Democracy
Human rights and drug policyAn accessible but comprehensive primer on why TNI believes that human rights must be at the heart of any debate on drug control. |
Expert Seminar "Where next for Europe on drug policy reform?"Analysis of the new EU strategy on drugs and its action plan and discussion on ways to improve and innovate European drug policy. |
Working towards a legal coca marketModern use of the coca leaf in Argentina provides a series of examples that could contribute to dispelling many of the myths that have polarized debate about the subject over the last few years. |
Informal Drug Policy Dialogue 2013, WarsawThe tenth meeting of the Informal Drug Policy Dialogue series, organised by the Transnational Institute (TNI) and Association Diogenis, took place in Warsaw, Poland, gathering over 35 NGO representatives, academics, policy makers and practitioners. |
