Bolivian president Morales chews coca leaf and calls for respect

Thursday, March 12th 2009 - 16:09 UTC

Full article 2 comments

Bolivian president Evo Morales ate a coca leaf in front of delegates at the UN summit on drugs in Vienna on Wednesday, to underline his demand that the raw ingredient used to make cocaine be removed from the United Nation's list of prohibited drugs. Read full article

Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Sherman
Coca leaves are a “soft drug” that should be legalized as a harm reduction measure. Cocaine should continue to be be illegal. I would prefer if people did not use any drug, but coca leaves would be much preferrable to cocaine. Legitimate businesses should be free to ship fresh unprocessed coca leaves to countries like the USA that have cocaine/crack problems to help wean people off cocaine/crack and provide them with a much less harmful alternative. Coca leaves should be legal anywhere cocaine/crack has been a problem to provide a much less hazardous alternative. Also, methamphetamine use might be reduced somewhat by the legal availability of fresh unprocessed coca leaves.
Mar 15th, 2009 - 09:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
ks
I disagree with Sherman on at least one count.
While I agree that the Coca leaf is not harmful and should be decriminalized I don't believe for one minute that it will change heavy users of cocaine and methamphetamine. These drugs are too powerful to ever assume that the mild effect of the raw coca could ever replace the high. Raw coca may in fact help stop cigarette smokers get off their habits. It's worth experimenting.
But cocaine and meth are demons. The only way to break these addictions is through rehab, pure will power and tough love.
Mar 16th, 2009 - 08:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!