| Coca Myths Summary |
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Although the claim that coca is part of the identity and history of the Andean/Amazon region is unlikely to be questioned by most countries, a possible removal of the coca leaf from the international control system is still met with considerable scepticism. 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 cocas fate and legal status, since one country will promptly proceed to the formal request removing the coca leaf from its current position in Schedule 1 of the 1961 UN Single Convention. Coca mythsMany myths surround the coca leaf. Radically opposed views and opinions can be heard in the polemical debates surrounding this plant, and those not familiar with the subject are easily lost among all the apparent contradictions. The debate is politicised and has become subject to extreme ideological positioning. For some the coca leaf is as addictive as its best-known derivative cocaine, while others argue that it can cure half the diseases of modern times. For some, coca growing is the main cause of environmental degradation, while others claim that coca helps to protect the soil and prevents erosion. By identifying the myths in pairs, each of these marking the extreme end of a given subject of debate, our aim is to pinpoint the middle ground where a new evidence-based consensus can emerge regarding cocas undoubted stimulant, nutritional and therapeutic properties. We consider five areas of current concerns related to: coca and nutrition; coca and alkaloids; coca and addiction; coca and the environment; and, coca and society. Myth 1 - Coca and nutrition Myth 2 - Coca and alkaloids Myth 3 - Coca and addiction Myth 4 - Coca and the Environment Myth 5 - Coca and society Read the full briefing: Coca Myths, Drugs & Conflict Debate Papers 17, June 2009
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