Bolivien. How Bolivia’s Legal Coca Industry Challenges Drug Prohibition

(…) The disappointing WHO review

This year, there was a glimmer of hope with the possible change of coca’s legal status. Bolivia and Colombia had initiated a review process of its legal status with the World Health Organisation. Coca is currently listed as a Schedule I substance, on par with fentanyl and cocaine. The hope was that its rescheduling, or even complete de-scheduling, could mean a new chapter for the leaf’s future.

A few weeks ago, this dream was dashed. After two years of deliberation, the WHO recommended that the leaf’s ban remain. The main reason was because they couldn’t see coca as anything else beyond the key ingredient for cocaine – the drug that’s been on the UN’s bounty list for eradication since its inception.

“The idea that legalising coca would lead to more cocaine does not really make sense – given that current cocaine production can satisfy global demand several times over,” anthropologist Thomas Grisaffi told TalkingDrugs.

“This decision is a slap in the face of indigenous peoples and the drug policy reform movement,” reacted Martin Jelsma, who’s followed the proceedings for the Transnational Institute (TNI).

“It has shown that the drug control regime is unable to align with human rights, including indigenous rights, to decolonise and modernise.”

https://www.talkingdrugs.org/how-bolivias-legal-coca-industry-challenges-drug-prohibition/