The Difference Between a Drug and a Tradition
by Emily Specker
Today, the “war against drugs” is considered a highly important topic. President George Bush speaks often about the necessity of stopping the trafficking of narcotics. Drug trafficking is a very complicated issue because it involves political, economic, and social factors. The US government struggles to understand the cause of this use, and to find a solution. In general, the leaders of this country consider many of the factors involved, but they often forget the cultural perspective. The government of the United States does not accurately understand the use of drugs in other questions.
In some countries, drugs are used for cultural reasons, not everyone uses them for the sole purpose of ‘feeling good.’ In many South American countries, Coca leaves – the raw, unprocessed product that is later used to create the drug cocaine – are utilized. In some of these countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, coca is a large part of the culture. People chew the leaves on a daily basis. Each person has particular reasons for using coca: workers chew while they work in the fields, and, in some areas of these countries, students use coca to stay alert while they study. At traditional celebrations and in ceremonial rituals, leaves of coca are always present. There are people who use coca for religious reasons. In addition, if someone is hungry and does not have a sufficient supply of food, they can chew a few leaves to alleviate their hunger. Coca also has medicinal uses. In Argentina, a tea – mate de coca – is prepared with the leaves when someone is suffering from stomach pains. In Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, coca is considered to a medicine. It has been used in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru for thousands of years as an integral aspect of their culture.
Evo Morales, the current president of Bolivia, is known for supporting the growth of coca. Many believe that this support was brought on by his winning the election. Morales wants to fight against the antiquated thoughts of the United States. The United States supports programs to eradicate the use of coca in Bolivia, and has restricted the amount of coca that can be cultivated to 12,000 hectares. Bolivia’s population says that this is not sufficient, and that the government of the United States has not fully considered the situation. They don’t know how much coca is needed, argue sectors of Bolivia’s population. The United States justifies this restriction with falsities, and also denies the use of coca leaves outside of Bolivia. The principal northern cities of Argentina, Jujuy and Salta, sell coca everywhere. There was always coca from Bolivia in my house in Salta. If the US government does not allow Bolivia to cultivate more than 12,000 hectares, Argentina will also face an insufficient supply.
In the central region of Bolivia, Chapare, they are not allowed to cultivate coca. It is said that the coca in this region is more bitter, therefore, the United States is convinced that those leaves will inevitably be used in cocaine production. However, the coca from the Chapare region is cheaper. The citizens who live in poverty are used to paying lower prices, which allow them to consume coca and suppress hunger pangs.
In 1988, the United States created a law to prohibit the cultivation of coca. The law violated the civil rights of the Bolivian population by demanding that the accused person be imprisoned from the beginning to the end of the trials and appellations. This requirement was eliminated from the law in 1996.
The majority of farmers grow coca because of economic necessity. Without coca cultivation, they would not be able to afford houses or food. There are not as many alternatives to coca as the United States assumes. Without coca, there is not a sufficient amount of jobs in Bolivia. Because of this, there have been many demonstrations against the eradication of coca since 2002.
It is crucial to understand that a coca farmer is not a drug dealer. Rather, he is a person who works to earn his own money, care for his family, and establish a stable life like any other worker, while selling a product that is not a drug. Coca is not merely the raw product for cocaine, but rather an honored tradition. Since 2000, coca has served as a symbol of unity among the South American countries. There must be a clearer distinction between coca and cocaine. As Pat Zamora, former president of Bolivia from 1989 to 1993, said, “Coca is an Andean tradition. Cocaine is a western habit.”
Sources:
http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/bolivia/libros/cocacoup/cap1.html
http://www.natlaw.com/pubs/spbocs1.htm
