Bolivian Coca Diplomacy Discussion (analysis)

[Ironduke]

Purpose: I thought I would post this to generate discussion on what the membership thinks of the legitimization of trade in coca.

Thoughts: Taking a lesson from history, the United States/NATO and Turkey negotiated an arrangement in which the opium industry in Turkey was legitimized for pharmaceutical purposes, which was successful. However, illicit opium production then shifted to SE Asia and Afghanistan.

Questions:

• Should the international community legitimize the coca industry in Bolivia?
• Would doing so help bring economic stability to the nation of Bolivia by providing it revenue?
• Should international players who have ideological conflict withhold positive action due to the policies of Evo Morales?
• What would be the unintended consequences of such an arrangement?

Source: BBC News (BBC News - Bolivia launches coca leaf diplomatic offensive)

Bolivia launches coca leaf diplomatic offensive

Bolivia has launched a diplomatic offensive to try to end an international ban on chewing coca leaf.

Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca is on a European tour in a bid to drum up support to amend a UN treaty on banned drugs to decriminalise coca chewing.

Coca has been used in the Andes for thousands of years as a mild stimulant and sacred herbal medicine.

But it is also the raw material for the production of illegal cocaine, and the US is expected to oppose the move.
Deeply rooted

Bolivia wants to amend the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs to remove language that bans the chewing of coca leaf.

The deadline for nations to raise objections is 31 January.

If no objections are registered, the change will go ahead.

The convention stipulates that coca-chewing be eliminated within 25 years of the convention coming into effect in 1964.

Bolivia says that is discriminatory, given that coca use is so deeply rooted in the indigenous culture of the Andes.

Its proposal would leave in place language that makes coca a controlled substance.

Spain has already given its support to the Bolivian campaign.

Spanish foreign minister Trinidad Jimenez told Mr Choquehuanca in Madrid that she "understood" Bolivia's demand and would try to mediate with other European countries thought to be considering an objection.

Two countries which had recently filed objections - Colombia and Macedonia - have withdrawn them after Bolivian lobbying.

Read the rest of the article at the link at top of the quoted portion of the article on the BBC News International Site.

[Red Seven]

I think any discussion about legalizing Bolivia's coca industry must necessarily include all the entities, persons, organizations and states that the industry impacts, those that enjoy obscene profits by it's refinement, trafficking, protection and sales and those that suffer grievously from it. Can the question of the coca leaf in Bolivia be isolated from the larger issue of legalization of cocaine? My opinion is that it cannot.

Just because something is rooted in tradition and culture does not make it harmless or good. And any argument based upon one country's cultural traditions tremendously oversimplifies and understates the leaf's extraordinary impact on the world community. And that is the issue. I'm all for letting the indigenous people of the Andes chew whatever they want...but when people are being machine-gunned daily in 30 other countries because of it, I tend to frown on the behavior.

[Chogy]

The Coca leaf (with lime) has been used for centuries to fortify high-altitude natives for labor and travel, and oddly enough, it seems to work. I believe it could be considered a legitimate part of a traditional folk pharmacopeia, with few ill effects for just leaf. There is every indication that the leaf is roughly like coffee in habituation, and is not a burden to society.

My understanding of Bolivian law is that the leaf is legal for tea or chew, but further processing is illegal. I have to say I think this law is adequate, so long as illicit leaf is not diverted for processing. This could be as simple as a coca farmer obtaining a license to grow, detailing his land, and at the end of a growing season, delivering "X" pounds of leaf per acre, +/- a certain %, thus accounting for the majority of coca leaf produced. Illicit farms are sanctioned.

It is true some tradition and culture is harmful, like female genital mutilation, foot binding, execution for gays, the list is enormous. Coca leaf is one that does not fall into this category, and I can easily see strong resentment for "meddling Yankees or Westerners" poaching yet again into a culture's preferences. I'd say, let them be.

If Cocaine is exported, then all bets are off.

[Red Seven]

My understanding of Bolivian law is that the leaf is legal for tea or chew, but further processing is illegal. I have to say I think this law is adequate, so long as illicit leaf is not diverted for processing...

You're correct, it's legal in Bolivia and Peru. The coca farmers, the cocaleros, can make four times as much from coca as they can from any other crop. Coca is the leading source of income in Bolivia.

The problem is there's no incentive to restrict the leaf for tea and chew, and every incentive to take it to the paste labs near the coca fields so the paste can be sold to the Columbians. These incentives also apply to poorly paid law enforcement officials who find it much more profitable and infinately less dangerous to either look the other way or participate in the trade.

We're getting a bit beyond female foot binding and genital mutilation when the Mexican cocaine cartels alone are netting twice as much as Microsoft in a single year. I don't have figures for the number of lives that have been lost to violence and addiction these past 30 years, but I would expect them to be quite outrageously high.

[Chogy]

My analogy there was pretty lame, I agree. I guess I was thinking about the legal poppy fields (as Ironduke mentioned) grown in portions of Turkey, India, and Tasmania for the pharmaceutical industry. They do manage to keep the majority of the gum from being diverted for illegal purposes, but it requires some pretty extreme oversight that I suspect Bolivia and Peru cannot manage. And profit is the great motivator... so long as the extreme demand exists, they will find a way to create a supply for it.

[Ironduke]

My analogy there was pretty lame, I agree. I guess I was thinking about the legal poppy fields (as Ironduke mentioned) grown in portions of Turkey, India, and Tasmania for the pharmaceutical industry. They do manage to keep the majority of the gum from being diverted for illegal purposes, but it requires some pretty extreme oversight that I suspect Bolivia and Peru cannot manage. And profit is the great motivator... so long as the extreme demand exists, they will find a way to create a supply for it.

You're correct -- the existing political institutions (social, security, economic) are very weak in these countries. The existing framework to establish the legal cultivation and trade does not exist. At any rate - every major hospital in the United States has a ready supply of cocaine on hand for a topical anesthetic (I believe for nasal surgery - go figure). Coca-Cola buys tons upon tons of de-cocaninated leaves each year to flavor their beverages. There is no shortage of cocaine in the US, at least, for the legal purposes it serves. And I'm sure the price of legally acquired coca derivatives is lower than the contraband material.

[DV RULES]

Why US against Bolivian Coca products if he is the biggest consumer of cocaine?

[Dreadnought]

Why US against Bolivian Coca products if he is the biggest consumer of cocaine?

IMO,Two words come to mind: Crime and Guns. In many cases the money that comes from the sales of cocaine in the US buy guns back home and in many ways the guns (to some countries) are far more valuable then the drugs. Guns used to eliminate the competition and combat law enforcement which are appointed by the respective government.

Cocaine and Heroine sales are no doubt two of the biggest contributers to terror orgainzations funding operations as well. Outside of that they are a scourge on humanity itself. Fast addicting, fast to loose your home, job, etc.

[troung]

Why US against Bolivian Coca products if he is the biggest consumer of cocaine?

Are you retarded?

[Ironduke]

Are you retarded?

It's a rhetorical question - don't do that to the WAB, troung. ;)

[Ironduke]

Why US against Bolivian Coca products if he is the biggest consumer of cocaine?

You should have made it more clear that was a rhetorical question, to avoid being misunderstood.

Are you retarded?

It was a rhetorical question.

Now, let's keep things civil. :)

[tomkent45]

Adding up to retarded issue here LOL. The actually retarded are the college kids or graduate and EMPLOYED city people in which consumer these drugs and cause all this disaster in undeveloped and developing countries.