Dear John,
Decades ago, the United Nations mistakenly classified the coca leaf as a narcotic drug, stigmatizing millions of people who consume coca for its health and nutritional benefits. This includes many Indigenous peoples of the Andean-Amazonian region for whom coca is a sacred plant.
But change could be on the way. The World Health Organization (WHO), at Bolivia’s initiative, is conducting a ‘critical review’ of the coca leaf and may recommend changes in coca’s classification at the UN, which could represent a major step toward decriminalization.
In our second issue of the Coca Chronicles, we discuss how the prospects for coca leaf reforms at the UN received a boost at the recent UN Committee on Narcotic Drugs (CND) session, which took place in Vienna in March.
This year, WOLA co-sponsored several side events at the CND. Among them was a climate justice panel discussion at the intersection of drug policy and deforestation in the Amazon.
On that note, last Monday was Earth Day. If you haven’t yet seen the panel WOLA hosted on climate migration and displacement in the Americas, now is your chance to watch it.
This weekend I will be in San Francisco speaking about the UN coca review at a conference organized by the Chacruna Institute. I will be back in Washington D.C. in time for our Gala on May 9. This year will be extra special as we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary.
I look forward to seeing you there!
