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Commission of Inquiry on the Coca Leaf |
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In 1961 the coca leaf was listed on
Schedule I of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs together with cocaine
and heroin. The inclusion of coca has caused much harm to the Andean region and
a historical correction is long overdue, for the sake of further conflict
prevention and out of respect for the Andean culture. The rationale for
including the coca leaf in the 1961 Single Convention is mainly rooted in a
report requested of the United Nations by the permanent representative of Peru
that was prepared by a commission that visited Bolivia and Peru briefly in
1949. In this section you will find the original report (which is now
almost impossible to find) and an overview of the discussions in the UN bodies
on the coca issue.
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The WHO cocaine project |
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In 1995 the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations
Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) announced
in a press release the publication of the results of the largest global
study on cocaine use ever undertaken. The most important recommendation
holds that: "WHO/PSA should investigate the therapeutic benefits of
coca leaf" and a broader statement on researching the impact on health
at individual and population levels of different legislation and drug
control measures. However, a decision in the World Health Assembly
banned the publication of the study. The US representative threatened
that "if WHO activities relating to drugs failed to reinforce proven
drug control approaches, funds for the relevant programmes should be
curtailed". This led to the decision to discontinue publication. A part of the study has been recuperated and is now available on the
TNI's website. We feel this information is valid,
important and needs to be available in the public domain.
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Resources on coca |
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Interesting articles on the culture and tradition of coca
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