Coca Leaf Advocacy
Defending the traditional and cultural use of the coca leaf — challenging the unjust international scheduling that criminalizes Indigenous practices.
The coca leaf has been central to Andean cultures for thousands of years — used in traditional medicine, spiritual ceremonies, and daily life. Its inclusion in the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was a colonial imposition that criminalizes Indigenous cultural practices and violates the rights of millions of people.
The Issue
The international drug control regime treats the coca leaf as equivalent to cocaine, despite the vast difference between traditional coca use and processed cocaine. This conflation has been used to justify forced eradication programs, criminalization of Indigenous farmers, and the destruction of cultural heritage.
Cultural Heritage
Coca chewing (acullico) is a millennia-old practice integral to Andean identity, social cohesion, and spiritual life. It is recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
Scientific Evidence
WHO studies have confirmed that traditional coca use poses no health risks and provides nutritional benefits. The leaf contains vitamins, minerals, and alkaloids with therapeutic properties.
Colonial Legacy
The 1961 Convention's scheduling of coca leaf reflected colonial attitudes toward Indigenous practices, not scientific evidence. It was driven by political interests, not public health concerns.
Economic Impact
Millions of small farmers depend on coca cultivation for their livelihoods. Forced eradication destroys their economic base without providing viable alternatives.
Our Advocacy
- Rescheduling Campaign: Supporting Bolivia's and other states' efforts to remove the coca leaf from Schedule I of the 1961 Convention
- Research & Documentation: Producing evidence on traditional coca use, its cultural significance, and the harms of criminalization
- Indigenous Voice Amplification: Ensuring Indigenous coca growers and traditional practitioners are heard in international drug policy forums
- Legal Analysis: Documenting how coca leaf scheduling violates Indigenous peoples' rights under UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169
- Alternative Development Critique: Challenging "alternative development" programs that force farmers to abandon coca without adequate support
The coca leaf is not cocaine. Criminalizing a plant sacred to millions of Indigenous people is not drug control — it is cultural erasure.