Bolivian President Chews Coca During Speech At UN

Evo Morales isn't afraid to practice what he preaches. The Bolivian president, an outspoken proponent of coca, the leaf used to make cocaine, brought a baggie with him to a United Nations meeting in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday and chewed away in front of the assembled ministers.

Kris Krane, executive director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, was in an overflow room watching the speech and IMed the Huffington Post an account of the coca-chewing.

"The reaction was mostly positive," said Krane. "Lots of clapping, some snickers and laughter."

Morales ejected the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from Bolivia in November and the U.S. has since responded by declaring Bolivia in violation of drug treaty obligations.

Morales was speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Committee on Narcotic Drugs, which is drafting a ten-year narcotics strategyand taking input from nongovernmental organizations. Morales urged the delegation, said Krane, who took notes, to correct the "historical mistake" that had banned coca.

He held up a leaf and declared it not to be harmful. He chews it regularly, he said, but is not addicted. To demonstrate, he put the leaf in his mouth and began chewing. He then pulled out a second leaf to another round of laughter, held it up, and continued his speech.

Chewing coca, often mixed with a dash of baking soda, numbs the stomach and reduces hunger. It is also popular with laborers and gives a boost similar to caffeine.

"This is a coca leaf. This is not cocaine," Morales said. "This represents the culture of indigenous people of the Andean region."

Comments

[leonel]

01:00 AM on 03/13/2009

If I remember correctly, passing out coca leafs was a big part of his election campaign. They use it like Americans use coffee. To get buzzed. It only a matter of time.

[JacksonJones]

08:16 PM on 03/12/2009

Morales makes a good point. The puritanical "War on Drugs" is making everyone STUPID.

[GibsonSG]

03:51 PM on 03/12/2009

And then Morales had an 8 hour conversation in the bathroom about who would win in a fight between Superman and Batman.

[NonaG]

02:25 PM on 03/12/2009

"This is a coca leaf. This is not cocaine," Morales said. "This represents the culture of indigenous people of the Andean region."

A great quote and important gesture. A necessary education for those who don't know the difference.

On a lighter note. I was attracted to the part about numbing the stomach and reducing hunger. Hummmm!!! Might be a great aid to weight loss. Wonder where I can get hold of some fresh coca leaves here in London.

[SamKnause]

02:30 PM on 03/12/2009

I also liked the part about it reduces hunger. It would never be legal in the U.S. because the big drug companies would not want to give up their billion dollar hold on the weight loss drugs.

[Brett1981]

03:17 PM on 03/12/2009

Khat has a similar effect. It's chewed around the Horn of Africa. They also use it to make tea.

[chaos4700]

01:00 PM on 03/12/2009

We're accusing someone else of not respecting treaty obligations regarding drugs when we've been kidnapping and torturing people for the better part of two presidential terms? Our moral high ground is lower than a Madoff investment portfolio at this point.

[NonaG]

02:25 PM on 03/12/2009

LOL!!!

[111]

12:52 PM on 03/12/2009

When I traveled in Bolivia the leaves were plentiful and chewed by many people. I drank a tea made from coca leaves to help me deal with altitude sickness. There is nothing lethal, deadly, addicting about these leaves. Good for you Pres. Morales!

[nomoredead]

11:26 AM on 03/12/2009

I'm tired of these stories about Rod Blagojevich.........oh wait a minute.

[305Rider]

11:22 AM on 03/12/2009

Coca leafs are chewed by 'campesinos' to wolk and walk in the Andean regions of Bolivia & Peru. The leaf can also be used to make 'mate', a tea that can calm stomach aches, not to metion generally boosting your system.

[Bpeirce]

10:43 AM on 03/12/2009

Thats one way to stay awake

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

10:19 AM on 03/12/2009

It is not a drug until it is processed into powder form.

[ldperianez]

10:01 AM on 03/12/2009

Long live Evo Morales!!! he knows what he is talking about!!! Coca leaves are not drugs. Processed cocaine is poisoned!! Just like any processed American food, transfats, McDonald's, MSG. When is the US going to learn that the world is not the problem, the problem is the American ignorance!!!!!!!

[WinterParkMom]

09:58 AM on 03/12/2009

He is right. Alot of indigenous people in South America chew the coca leaf, in the pacific and india there's beetelnut that has a similar effect. This is a part of their culture and the coca leaf in itself is not a narcotic. DEA needs to focus on the people making the drugs not the coca leaf and its innocent users.

[idisVA]

09:43 AM on 03/12/2009

Hi Mr. President

[steamboat]

11:47 AM on 03/12/2009

You mean "High Mr. President"

[edwcorey]

09:11 AM on 03/12/2009

More countries should legalize it. F--- the U.S. policy. It's just a scam to bloat the DEA, police departments, and correction departments, and to increase shareholder value of corporate prisons and arms manufacturers. It's also a reason to maintain the pig trough known as Homeland Security, since illegal drugs fund terrorists. More innocent people have been hurt by the drug war than by drugs. And what would the pharmaceutical companies do if they couldn't sell their mood-changing, toxic-side-effect concoctions because a person would be better off gardening his own mood changers?

[WarriorLemming]

07:58 AM on 03/12/2009

Lucky bastard, and his people have been chewing this stuff for maybe a thousand years or more so can't be too bad for you (better than cocaine which I've never had, btw). I bet it's cheaper than smoking cigarettes too. I want some. :)