Coca
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Erythroxylaceae Genus: Erythroxylum Species: E. coca
Binomial name
Erythroxylum coca Lam.

Coca is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America. The plant plays a significant role in traditional Andean culture. Coca leaves contain cocaine, which is a powerful stimulant, and also one of the most heavily controlled substances in the world. Coca may refer to: The Coca plant (Erythroxylon coca), from which comes cocaine. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File links Koeh-204. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class of flowering plants. ... Families Family Achariaceae Family Balanopaceae Family Bonnetiaceae Family Caryocaraceae Family Chrysobalanaceae Family Clusiaceae Family Ctenolophonaceae Family Dichapetalaceae Family Elatinaceae Family Erythryloxaceae (coca family) Family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) Family Euphroniaceae Family Goupiaceae Family Humiriaceae Family Hypericaceae (St Johns wort family) Family Irvingiaceae Family Ixonanthaceae Family Lacistemaceae Family Linaceae (flax family... Genera Aneulophus Erythroxylum Nectaropetalum Pinacopodium The Erythroxylaceae (or coca family) is a family of flowering plants, consisting of 4 genera and about 240 species. ... Species about 250, including: Erythroxylum amazonicum Erythroxylum areolatum Erythroxylum argentatum Erythroxylum australe Erythroxylum brownianum Erythroxylum campestre Erythroxylum cataractarum Erythroxylum catuaba - catuaba Erythroxylum citrifolium Erythroxylum coca - coca Erythroxylum cumanense Erythroxylum deciduum Erythroxylum ellipticum Erythroxylum fimbriatum Erythroxylum glaucum Erythroxylum gracilipes Erythroxylum hypericifolium Erythroxylum impressum Erythroxylum incrassatum Erythroxylum laurifolium Erythroxylum lucidum Erythroxylum macrocnemum... Latin name redirects here. ... Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck (August 1, 1744 – December 18, 1829) was a French soldier, naturalist, academic and an early proponent of the idea that evolution occurred and proceeded in accordance with natural laws. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... The hierarchy of scientific classification In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is a rank, or a taxon in that rank. ... Genera Aneulophus Erythroxylum Nectaropetalum Pinacopodium The Erythroxylaceae (or coca family) is a family of flowering plants, consisting of 4 genera and about 240 species. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Andean culture may refer to: Inca culture Andean region Category: ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... Sustained-Release 15mg Dexedrine Spansules. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

Coca should not be confused with the similarly named South American Cocoa bean from which chocolate is made. For other uses, see Cocoa (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Chocolate (disambiguation). ...

The plant resembles a blackthorn bush, and grows to a height of 2–3 m (7–10 ft). The branches are straight, and the leaves, which have a green tint, are thin, opaque, oval, and taper at the extremities. A marked characteristic of the leaf is an areolated portion bounded by two longitudinal curved lines, one line on each side of the midrib, and more conspicuous on the under face of the leaf. For other uses, see Blackthorn (disambiguation). ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The flowers are small, and disposed in little clusters on short stalks; the corolla is composed of five yellowish-white petals, the anthers are heart-shaped, and the pistil consists of three carpels united to form a three-chambered ovary. The flowers mature into red berries. For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Corolla be merged into this article or section. ... Flower of the spider tree (Crateva religiosa) with its numerous conspicuous stamens The stamen is the male organ of a flower. ... The Pistil is the part of the flower made up of one or more carpels. ... This article is about the fruit. ...

The leaves are sometimes eaten by the larvae of the moth Eloria noyesi. A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... For other uses, see Moths. ... Binomial name Eloria noyesi {{{author}}}, {{{date}}} Eloria noyesi is a beige moth whose larva feasts on coca plants. ...

Species and classification

There are twelve main species and varieties. Two subspecies, Erythroxylum coca var. coca and E. coca var. ipadu, are almost indistinguishable phenotypically; a related high cocaine-bearing species has two subspecies, E. novogranatense var. novogranatense and E. novogranatense var. truxillense that are phenotypically similar, but morphologically distinguishable. Under the older Cronquist system of classifying flowering plants, this was placed in an order Linales; more modern systems place it in the order Malpighiales. A system of plant taxonomy, the Cronquist system is a scheme for the classification of flowering plants (or angiosperms). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... In scientific classification used in biology, the order (Latin: ordo, plural ordines) is a rank between class and family (termed a taxon at that rank). ... Linales is a botanical name of an order of flowering plants. ... Families Family Achariaceae Family Balanopaceae Family Bonnetiaceae Family Caryocaraceae Family Chrysobalanaceae Family Clusiaceae Family Ctenolophonaceae Family Dichapetalaceae Family Elatinaceae Family Erythryloxaceae (coca family) Family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) Family Euphroniaceae Family Goupiaceae Family Humiriaceae Family Hypericaceae (St Johns wort family) Family Irvingiaceae Family Ixonanthaceae Family Lacistemaceae Family Linaceae (flax family...

Cultivation

Leaves and berries

Coca is traditionally cultivated in the lower altitudes of the eastern slopes of the Andes, or the highlands depending on the species grown. Since ancient times, its leaves have been an important trade commodity between the lowlands where it is grown and the higher altitudes where it is widely consumed by the Andean peoples of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Bolivia. Image File history File links Erythroxylum coca - US DEA photo [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Coca ... Image File history File links Erythroxylum coca - US DEA photo [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Coca ... Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants, animals and other life forms. ... This article is about the mountain range in South America. ...

Fresh samples of the dried leaves are uncurled, are of a deep green on the upper, and a grey-green on the lower surface, and have a strong tea-like odor; when chewed they produce a pleasurable numbness in the mouth, and have a pleasant, pungent taste. They are traditionally chewed with lime to increase the release of cocaine from the leaf. Older specimens have a camphoraceous smell and a brownish colour, and lack the pungent taste. For other uses, see Tea (disambiguation). ... Aroma redirects here. ... Chewing is the process by which food is torn and/or crushed by teeth. ... Taste (or, more formally, gustation) is a form of direct chemoreception and is one of the traditional five senses. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... R-phrases 11-20/21/22-36/37/38 S-phrases 16-26-36 RTECS number EX1260000 (R) EX1250000 (S) Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

The seeds are sown from December to January in small plots (almacigas) sheltered from the sun, and the young plants when at 40–60 cm in height are placed in final planting holes (aspi), or if the ground is level, in furrows (uachos) in carefully weeded soil. The plants thrive best in hot, damp and humid situations, such as the clearings of forests; but the leaves most preferred are obtained in drier localities, on the sides of hills. The leaves are gathered from plants varying in age from one and a half to upwards of forty years, but only the new fresh growth is harvested. They are considered ready for plucking when they break on being bent. The first and most abundant harvest is in March after the rains, the second is at the end of June, and the third in October or November. The green leaves (matu) are spread in thin layers on coarse woollen cloths and dried in the sun; they are then packed in sacks, which must be kept dry in order to preserve the quality of the leaves. A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... Sol redirects here. ... Yellow starthistle, a thistle native to southern Europe and the Middle East that is an invasive weed in parts of North America. ... This article is about a community of trees. ... This article is about precipitation. ... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Textile be merged into this article or section. ...

Pharmacological aspects

The pharmacologically active ingredient of coca is the alkaloid cocaine, which is found in the amount of about 0.3 to 1.5%, averaging 0.8%^[1], in fresh leaves. Besides cocaine, the coca leaf contains a number of other alkaloids, including methylecgonine cinnamate, benzoylecgonine, truxilline, hydroxytropacocaine, tropacocaine, ecgonine, cuscohygrine, dihydrocuscohygrine, nicotine and hygrine. When chewed, coca acts as a mild stimulant and suppresses hunger, thirst, pain, and fatigue. Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmakon (φάρμακον) meaning drug, and lego (λέγω) to tell (about)) is the study of how drugs interact with living organisms to produce a change in function. ... Chemical structure of ephedrine, a phenethylamine alkaloid An alkaloid is a nitrogen-containing naturally occurring compound, produced by a large variety of organisms, including fungi, plants, animals, and bacteria. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... Chemical structure of ephedrine, a phenethylamine alkaloid An alkaloid is a nitrogen-containing naturally occurring compound, produced by a large variety of organisms, including fungi, plants, animals, and bacteria. ... See Also Cocaine Ecgonine benzoate Truxilline Hydroxytropacocaine Tropacocaine Ecgonine Cuscohygrine Dihydrocuscohygrine Hygrine ... Benzoylecgonine is the major metabolite of cocaine. ... An alkaloid found in cocaine Categories: Pharmacology stubs ... Ecgonine (C9H15NO3), is an organic chemical most known for its relation to cocaine: it is both a metabolite and a precursor, and as such, it is a controlled substance, as are all substances which can be used as precursors to ecgonine itself. ... Cuscohygrine is a pyrrolidine alkaloid found in coca. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ... Hygrine is a pyrrolidine alkaloid, found mainly in coca leaves (0. ...

Absorption of cocaine from the leaf is much less rapid and efficient than from the purified forms of cocaine, and it does not cause the euphoric and psychoactive effects associated with abuse of the drug. Some proponents have claimed that cocaine itself is not an active ingredient when unprocessed coca leaf is chewed or brewed as an infusion. However, studies have shown that small but measurable amounts of cocaine are present in the bloodstream after consumption of coca tea.^[2] Addiction or other deleterious effects from the consumption of the leaf in its natural form have not been documented.^[3][4] For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ...

History

Traces of coca have been found in mummies dating to 3000 years ago.^[5] Extensive archeological evidence for the chewing of coca leaves dates back at least to the sixth century A.D. Moche period, and the subsequent Inca period, based on mummies found with a supply of coca leaves, pottery depicting the characteristic cheek bulge of a coca chewer, spatulas for extracting alkali and figured bags for coca leaves and lime made from precious metals, and gold representations of coca in special gardens of the Inca in Cuzco^[6][7] Coca chewing may originally have been limited to the eastern Andes before its introduction to the Incas. As the plant was viewed as having a divine origin, its cultivation became subject to a state monopoly and its use restricted to nobles and a few favored classes (court orators, couriers, favored public workers, and the army) by the rule of the Topa Inca (1471-1493). As the Incan empire declined, the drug became more widely available. After some deliberation, Philip II of Spain issued a decree recognizing the drug as essential to the well-being of the Andean Indians but urging missionaries to end its religious use. The Spanish are believed to have effectively encouraged use of coca by an increasing majority of the population to increase their labor output and tolerance for starvation, but it is not clear that this was planned deliberately. Mummified cat from Ancient Egypt. ... The Moche civilization (alternately, the Mochica culture, Early Chimu, Pre-Chimu, Proto-Chimu, etc. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... The Church of La Compañía on the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru in the Huatanay Valley (Sacred Valley), of the Andes mountain range. ... This article is about the mountain range in South America. ... ... Philip II (Spanish: ; Portuguese: ) (May 21, 1527 – September 13, 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598, King of Naples from 1554 until 1598, king consort of England (as husband of Mary I) from 1554 to 1558, Lord of the Seventeen Provinces (holding various titles for the individual territories...

The drug was first introduced to Europe in the 16th century, but did not become popular until the mid-19th century, with the publication of an influential paper by Dr. Paolo Mantegazza praising its stimulating effects on cognition. This led to invention of cocawine and the first production of pure cocaine. Cocawine (of which Vin Mariani was the best-known brand) and other cocaine-containing preparations were widely sold as patent medicines and tonics, with claims of a wide variety of health benefits. The original version of Coca-cola was among these. These products became illegal in most countries outside of South America in the early 20th century, after the addictive nature of cocaine was widely recognized. Paolo Mantegazza (1831-1910) was a prominent Italian neurologist. ... Cocawine was an alcoholic beverage that combined wine and cocaine. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... Cocawine was an alcoholic beverage that combined wine and cocaine. ... Advertising bill for the wine Mariani, lithograph of Jules Cheret, 1894 Vin Mariani (french meaning Marianis wine) is a tonic created around 1863 by Angelo Mariani. ... The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ...

In recent times (2007), the governments of several South American countries, such as Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela, have defended and championed the traditional use of coca, as well as the modern uses of the leaf and its extracts in household products such as teas and toothpaste. (see Industrial Use below)

Traditional uses

Traditional medical uses of coca are foremost as a stimulant to overcome fatigue, hunger, and thirst. It is considered particularly effective against altitude sickness. It also is used as an anaesthetic to alleviate the pain of headache, rheumatism, wounds and sores, etc. Before stronger anaesthetics were available, it also was used for broken bones, childbirth, and during trephining operations on the skull. Because cocaine constricts blood vessels, the action of coca also serves to oppose bleeding, and coca seeds were used for nosebleeds. Indigenous use of coca has also been reported as a treatment for malaria, ulcers, asthma, to improve digestion, to guard against bowel laxity, as an aphrodisiac, and credited with improving longevity. Modern studies have supported a number of these medical applications.^[3] Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), altitude illness, or soroche, is a pathological condition that is caused by acute exposure to low air pressure (usually outdoors at high altitudes). ... Anesthesia (AE), also anaesthesia (BE), is the process of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. ... Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. ... 18th century French illustration of trepanation (Larger Version) Trepanation, also known as trephinning or trepanning, is a form of surgery where a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, leaving the membrane around the brain intact. ... For the plant referred to as nosebleed plant, see Yarrow. ... Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. ... Endoscopic images of a duodenal ulcer. ... For the industrial process, see anaerobic digestion. ... This article is about agents which increase sexual desire. ... Reflections on longevity have usually gone beyond acknowledging the basic shortness of human life and have included thinking about methods to extend life. ...

Coca has also been a vital part of the religious cosmology of the Andean peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and northern Argentina and Chile from the pre-Inca period through the present. Coca leaves play a crucial part in offerings to the apus (mountains), Inti (the sun), or Pachamama (the earth). Coca leaves are also often read in a form of divination analogous to reading tea leaves in other cultures. As one example of the many traditional beliefs about coca, it is believed by the miners of Cerro de Pasco to soften the veins of ore, if masticated (chewed) and thrown upon them (see also Cocomama). This is a chart of the Peruvian cultural periods used by archaeologist studying the area. ... Apus (Latin for bird of paradise) is a faint southern constellation, not visible to the ancient Greeks. ... Inti or Sun of May of the flag of Argentina, 1818 In Inca mythology, Inti was the sun god, as well a patron deity of Tahuantinsuyu. ... This article is about the inca goddess. ... For other uses, see Divination (disambiguation). ... Cerro de Pasco (population 70,000) is a city in central Peru. ... For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation). ... In Incan mythology, Cocomama or Mama Coca was a goddess of health and joy. ...

Coca leaves

The activity of chewing coca is called mambear, chacchar or acullicar, borrowed from Quechua, or in Bolivia, picchar, derived from the Aymara language. The Spanish masticar is also frequently used, along with the slang term "bolear," derived from the word "bola" or ball of coca pouched in the cheek while chewing. Typical coca consumption is about two ounces per day, and contemporary methods are believed to be unchanged from ancient times. Coca is kept in a woven pouch (chuspa or huallqui). A few leaves are chosen to form a quid (acullico) held between the mouth and gums. Doing so usually causes users to feel a tingling and numbing sensation in their mouths. (The common dental anaesthetic Novocaine has a similar effect.) Chewing coca leaves is most common in indigenous communities across the central Andean region, particularly in places like the highlands of Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, where the cultivation and consumption of coca is as much a part of the national culture similar to chicha, like wine is to France or beer is to Germany. It also serves as a powerful symbol of indigenous cultural and religious identity, amongst a diversity of indigenous nations throughout South America. Bags of coca leaves are sold in local markets and by street vendors. Commercially manufactured coca teas are also available in most stores and supermarkets, including upscale suburban supermarkets. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Quechuan languages. ... The Aymara are a native ethnic group in the Andes region of South America; about 2. ... Procaine is a local anesthetic drug of the amino ester group. ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... Chicha served with pipeño Chicha is a Spanish word for any variety of fermented beverage. ... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... Look up Market in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Two cups of coca tea Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is a tisane (tea) made using the leaves of the coca plant. ... Packaged food aisles in a Fred Meyer store in Portland, Oregon A supermarket is a departmentalized self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise. ...

Coca is still chewed in the traditional way, with a tiny quantity of ilucta (a preparation of the ashes of the quinoa plant) added to the coca leaves; it softens their astringent flavor and activates the alkaloids. Other names for this basifying substance are llipta in Peru and the Spanish word lejía, lye in English. The consumer carefully uses a wooden stick (formerly often a spatula of precious metal) to transfer an alkaline component into the quid without touching his flesh with the corrosive substance. The alkali component, usually kept in a gourd (ishcupuro or poporo), can be made by burning limestone to form unslaked quicklime, burning quinoa stalks, or the bark from certain trees, and may be called ilipta, tocra or mambe depending on its composition.^[6][7] Many of these materials are salty in flavor, but there are variations. The most common base in the La Paz area of Bolivia is a product known as lejía dulce (sweet lye), which is made from quinoa ashes mixed with anise and cane sugar, forming a soft black putty with a sweet and pleasing licorice flavor. In some places, baking soda is used under the name bico. Binomial name Willd. ... A bottle of tannic acid, an astringent Astringent medicines cause shrinkage of mucous membranes or exposed tissues and are often used internally to check discharge of blood serum or mucous secretions. ... This article is about flavor as a sensory impression. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as lime or quicklime, is a widely used chemical compound. ... Binomial name Willd. ... Motto: Los discordes en concordia, en paz y amor se juntaron y pueblo de paz fundaron para perpetua memoria Location of La Paz within Bolivia Coordinates: , Country Departament Province Pedro Domingo Murillo Province Founded October 20, 1548 Incorporated (El Alto) 20th century Government  - Mayor Juan Del Granado Area  - Total 470... Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), or sodium hydrogen carbonate, also known as baking soda and bicarbonate of soda, is a soluble white anhydrous or crystalline compound, with a slight alkaline taste resembling that of sodium carbonate. ...

In the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia, coca is consumed by the Kogi, Arhuaco and Wiwa by using a special device called poporo. The poporo is the mark of manhood, but it is a female symbolic sex. It represents the womb and the stick is a phallic symbol. The movements of the stick in the poporo symbolize the sexual act. For a man the poporo is a good companion that means "food", "woman", "memory" and "meditation". Women are prohibited from using coca. It is important to stress that poporo is the symbol of manhood. But it is the woman who gives men their manhood. When the boy is ready to be married, his mother will initiate him in the use of the coca. This act of initiation is carefully supervised by the mama, a traditional priest-teacher-leader. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a mountain range in northern Colombia. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Categories: Africa geography stubs | States of Nigeria ... Arhuacos holding a meeting. ... Antropomorphic poporo displayed in the Quimbaya museum Poporo is a device used for indigenous cultures in present and precolumbian south america for storage of small amounts of lime (mineral). ... For an account of the late 19th-century movement in poetry and the arts, known as Symbolism, see symbolism (arts). ...

To comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, this section may need to be rewritten. Reason: "it is a female symbolic sex" is nonsensical; if women are prohibited from using coca, how do mothers initiate their sons in its use? Please help improve this article. The discussion page may contain suggestions.

Although coca leaf chewing is common only among the indigenous populations, the consumption of coca tea (Mate de coca) is common among all sectors of society in the Andean countries, and is widely held to be beneficial to health, particularly in the high altitudes. Coca leaf is sold packaged into teabags in most grocery stores in the region, and establishments that cater to tourists generally feature coca tea. Coca tea. ...

Industrial use

Coca is used industrially in the cosmetics and food industries. A de-cocainized extract of coca leaf is reportedly one of the flavoring ingredients in Coca-Cola.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} Coca tea is produced industrially from coca leaves in South America by a number of companies, including Enaco S.A. (National Company of the Coca) a government enterprise in Peru.^[13][14] Coca leaves are also an natural flavouring ingredient in Red Bull Cola, that was launched in March 2008.^[15] Make-up redirects here. ... The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ... Two cups of coca tea Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is a tisane (tea) made using the leaves of the coca plant. ...

Beginning in the early 21st century, there has been a movement in Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela to promote and expand legal markets for the crop. The presidents of these three countries have personally identified with this movement. In particular, Evo Morales of Bolivia (elected in December 2005) was a coca growers union leader. Morales asserts that "la coca no es cocaína"—the coca leaf is not cocaine. During his speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations on September 19, 2006, he held a coca leaf in his hand to demonstrate its innocuity.^[16] Juan Evo Morales Ayma (born October 26, 1959 in Orinoca, Oruro), popularly known as Evo (pronounced ), is the President of Bolivia, and has been declared the countrys first fully indigenous head of state since the Spanish Conquest in 470 years. ... United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (GA) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Alan García, president of Peru, has recommended its use in salads and other edible preparations. A Peruvian-based company has announced plans to market a modern version of Vin Mariani, which will be available in both natural and de-cocainized varieties. Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez (born May 23, 1949 in Lima) is the current President of Peru, having won the 2006 elections on June 4, 2006 in a run-off against Union for Peru candidate Ollanta Humala. ... Advertising bill for the wine Mariani, lithograph of Jules Cheret, 1894 Vin Mariani (french meaning Marianis wine) is a tonic created around 1863 by Angelo Mariani. ...

In Venezuela, president Hugo Chávez said in a speech on January 2008 that he chews coca every day, and that his "hook up" is Bolivian president Evo Morales. Chávez reportedly said "I chew coca every day in the morning... and look how I am" before showing his bicep to his audience, the Venezuelan National Assembly. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (pronounced ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... Categories: Stub ... The National Assembly (Spanish Asamblea Nacional) is the current legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. ...

On the other hand, the Colombian government has recently moved in the opposite direction. For years, Bogotá has allowed indigenous coca farmers to sell coca products, promoting the enterprise as one of the few successful commercial opportunities available to recognized tribes like the Nasa, who have grown it for years and regard it as sacred^[17]. In December 2005, the Paeces, a Tierradentro (Cauca) indigenous community, started in December to produce a carbonated soft drink called "Coca Sek". The production method belongs to the resguardos of Calderas (Inzá) and takes about 150 kg of coca per 3,000 produced bottles. The drink was never sold widely in Colombia, the efforts to do so ended in May 2007 when it was abruptly banned by the Colombian government.^{[citation needed]} Bogota redirects here. ... The Paez, also known as the Nasa, are a Native American people who live in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. ... Cauca may refer to: Cauca Department, an administrative division of Colombia Cauca language Cauca River Cauca Valley Coca, Segovia, Spain, Latin name was Cauca Cauca Guan, a bird Category: ... Coca Sek is a carbonated beverage that the Páez people of south-western Colombia began selling in December, 2005. ...

Literary references

One of the best known examples of coca's reference in fiction is Patrick O'Brian's character, Stephen Maturin. In many of the more than twenty book series, a.k.a. Aubrey-Maturin series, Maturin expounds the benefits of coca. However, the reader is made aware of the truly addictive effects of the drug when rats, who have found the coca (Erythroxylum coca) and become seriously addicted, scour the ship looking for it. Information Occupation Doctor/Ships Surgeon/Intelligence Agent Title Doctor Relationships Diana Villiers, Christine Hatherleigh Children Brigid Maturin Relatives Several Episode count 20/21 Portrayed by Paul Bettany Created by Patrick OBrian Stephen Maturin is a fictional character in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick OBrian. ... The Aubrey–Maturin series, also known as the Aubreyad, is a sequence of 20 historical novels by Patrick OBrian, set during the Napoleonic Wars and centering on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ships surgeon Stephen Maturin, who is also a physician... Binomial name Lam. ...

Legal status

Coca leaf is the raw material for the manufacture of the drug cocaine, a powerful stimulant and anaesthetic extracted chemically from large quantities of coca leaves. Today, since it has mostly been replaced as a medical anaesthetic by synthetic analogues such as procaine, cocaine is best known as an illegal recreational drug. The cultivation, sale, and possession of unprocessed coca leaf (but not of any processed form of cocaine) is generally legal in the countries – such as Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Argentina – where traditional use is established, although cultivation is often restricted in an attempt to prevent the production of cocaine. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, making by hand) is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale. ... An assortment of psychoactive drugs A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... Sustained-Release 15mg Dexedrine Spansules. ... Anesthesia (AE), also anaesthesia (BE), is the process of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. ... Procaine is a local anesthetic drug of the amino ester group. ... Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational rather than medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ...

The prohibition of the use of the coca leaf except for medical or scientific purposes was established by the United Nations in the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The coca leaf is listed on Schedule I of the 1961 Single Convention together with cocaine and heroin. The Convention determined that “The Parties shall so far as possible enforce the uprooting of all coca bushes which grow wild. They shall destroy the coca bushes if illegally cultivated” (Article 26), and that, “Coca leaf chewing must be abolished within twenty-five years from the coming into force of this Convention” (Article 49, 2.e).^[18] UN redirects here. ... Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs Opened for signature March 30, 1961 at New York Entered into force December 13, 1964[1] Conditions for entry into force 40 ratifications Parties 180[2] The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is the international treaty against illicit drug manufacture and trafficking that forms the... Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs Opened for signature March 30, 1961 at New York Entered into force December 13, 1964[1] Conditions for entry into force 40 ratifications Parties 180[2] The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is the international treaty against illicit drug manufacture and trafficking that forms the... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ...

The rationale for including the coca leaf in the 1961 Single Convention is mainly rooted in a report requested of the United Nations by the permanent representative of Peru that was prepared by a commission that visited Bolivia and Peru briefly in 1949 to “investigate the effects of chewing the coca leaf and the possibilities of limiting its production and controlling its distribution.” The Commission of Enquiry on the Coca Leaf study, published in 1950, concluded that the effects of chewing coca leaves were negative, even though chewing coca was defined as a habit, not an addiction.^[19][20]

The report was sharply criticised for its arbitrariness, lack of precision and racist connotations. The team members’ professional qualifications and parallel interests were also criticised, as were the methodology used and the incomplete selection and use of existing scientific literature on the coca leaf. Nowadays, a similar study would never pass the scrutiny and critical review to which scientific studies are routinely subjected.^[21]

Despite the legal restriction, coca chewing and drinking of coca tea is carried out daily by millions of people in the Andes as well as considered sacred within indigenous cultures. They claim that most of the information provided about the traditional use of the coca leaf and its modern adaptations are erroneous. This has made it impossible to shed light on the plant’s positive aspects and its potential benefits for the physical, mental and social health of the people who consume and cultivate it.^[21] This article is about the mountain range in South America. ...

In an attempt to obtain legal recognition for the traditional use of coca, Peru and Bolivia negotiated paragraph 2 of Article 14 into the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, stipulating that measures to eradicate illicit cultivation and to eliminate illicit demand “should take due account of traditional licit use, where there is historic evidence of such use.”^[22] Bolivia also made a formal reservation to the 1988 Convention, which required countries to adopt measures to establish the use, consumption, possession, purchase or cultivation of the coca leaf for personal consumption as a criminal offence. Bolivia stated that “the coca leaf is not, in and of itself, a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance” and stressed that its “legal system recognizes the ancestral nature of the licit use of the coca leaf, which, for much of Bolivia’s population, dates back over centuries.”^[23][22] United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Opened for signature December 20, 1988[1] at Vienna Entered into force November 11, 1990[2] Conditions for entry into force 20 ratifications Parties 170[3] The 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and...

However, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) – the independent and quasi-judicial control organ for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions – denied the validity of article 14 in the 1988 Convention over the requirements of the 1961 Convention, or any reservation made by parties, since it does not "absolve a party of its rights and obligations under the other international drug control treaties."^[24] Mr. ... A quasi-judicial body is an individual or organisation which has powers resembling those of a court of law or judge and is able to remedy a situation or impose legal penalties on a person or organisation. ...

In recent years the current legal status of the coca leaf is more and more questioned. Even the INCB stated in its 1994 Annual Report that "mate de coca, which is considered harmless and legal in several countries in South America, is an illegal activity under the provisions of both the 1961 Convention and the 1988 Convention, though that was not the intention of the plenipotentiary conferences that adopted those conventions."^[25] It implicitly also dismissed the original report of the Commission of Enquiry on the Coca Leaf by recognizing that "there is a need to undertake a scientific review to assess the coca-chewing habit and the drinking of coca tea."^[26]

Nevertheless, the INCB on other occasions did not show signs of an increased sensitivity towards the Bolivian claim on the rights of their indigenous population, and the general public, to consume the coca leaf in a traditional manner by chewing the leaf, and even goes as far as to consider drinking coca tea, as "not in line with the provisions of the 1961 Convention."^[27][28] The Board considered Bolivia, Peru and a few other countries that allow such practises to be in breach with their treaty obligations, and insisted that “each party to the Convention should establish as a criminal offence, when committed intentionally, the possession and purchase of coca leaf for personal consumption.”^[29]

In reaction to the 2007 Annual Report of the INCB, the Bolivian government announced that it would formally issue a request to the United Nations to unschedule the coca leaf of List 1 of the 1961 UN Single Convention.^[30]

Legal status by country

Outside of South America, most countries' laws make no distinction between the coca leaf and any other substance containing cocaine, so the possession of coca leaf (except for de-cocainized leaf) is prohibited.

In the Netherlands, coca leaf is legally in the same category as cocaine, both are List I drugs of the Opium Law. The Opium Law specifically mentions the leafs of the plants of the species Erythroxylon. However, the possession of living plants of the species Erythroxylon are not actively prosecuted, even though they are legally forbidden.

In the United States, the Stepan Company of Maywood, New Jersey has the only license to legally import coca leaf. The company manufactures pure cocaine for medical use and also produces a cocaine-free extract of the coca leaf, which is used as a flavoring ingredient in Coca-Cola. According to the Bolivian Press, in 1996 the legal importation of coca leaf by Coca-Cola was 204 tons annually. Map highlighting Maywoods location within Bergen County. ... The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ...

More recently, coca has been reintroduced to the U.S. as a flavoring agent in the herbal liqueur Agwa. Coca tea and coca flour (powdered coca leaves) are available in the U.S. through Amazon.com and Mysterious Bolivia. Amazon. ...

Eradication

Main article: Coca eradication

Since the 1980s, the countries in which coca is grown have come under political and economic pressure from the United States to restrict the cultivation of the crop, in order to reduce the supply of cocaine on the international market. Coca eradication is a controversial strategy strongly promoted by the United States government as part of its War on Drugs to eliminate the cultivation of coca, a plant whose leaves are not only traditionally used by indigenous cultures but also, in modern society, in the manufacture of cocaine. ... For other uses, see Cocaine (disambiguation). ...

Article 26 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs requires nations that allow the cultivation of coca to designate an agency to regulate said cultivation and take physical possession of the crops as soon as possible after harvest, and to destroy all coca which grows wild or is illegally cultivated. The effort to enforce these provisions, referred to as coca eradication, has involved many strategies, ranging from aerial spraying of herbicides on coca crops to assistance and incentives to encourage farmers to grow alternate crops. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs Opened for signature March 30, 1961 at New York Entered into force December 13, 1964[1] Conditions for entry into force 40 ratifications Parties 180[2] The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is the international treaty against illicit drug manufacture and trafficking that forms the... Coca eradication is a controversial strategy strongly promoted by the United States government as part of its War on Drugs to eliminate the cultivation of coca, a plant whose leaves are not only traditionally used by indigenous cultures but also, in modern society, in the manufacture of cocaine. ... A herbicide is a pesticide used to kill unwanted plants. ...

This effort has been politically controversial, with proponents claiming that the production of cocaine is several times the amount needed to satisfy legal demand, and inferring that the vast majority of the coca crop is destined for the illegal market, which not only contributes to the major social problem of drug abuse, but also financially supports insurgent groups that collaborate with drug traffickers in some cocaine-producing territories. Critics of the effort claim that it creates hardship primarily for the coca growers, many of whom are poor and have no viable alternative way to make a living, causes environmental problems, that it is not effective in reducing the supply of cocaine, in part because cultivation can move to other areas, and that any social harm created by drug abuse is only made worse by the war on drugs. For the Barenaked Ladies song War on Drugs, see Everything to Everyone. ...

See also

• Coca Museum
• Coca-Cola

The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ...

References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Stepan Company (NYSE: SCL) is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals headquartered in Northfield, Illinois. ... For the newspaper founded in 1893 by William Randolph Hearst, see Washington Times-Herald. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... At the presiding table, from left to right: Mr. ... Encyclopædia Britannica, the eleventh edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

• Turner C. E., Elsohly M. A., Hanuš L., Elsohly H. N. Isolation of dihydrocuscohygrine from Peruvian coca leaves. Phytochemistry 20 (6), 1403-1405 (1981)
• "History of Coca. The Divine Plant of the Incas" by W. Golden Mortimer, M.D. 576 pp. And/Or Press San Francisco, 1974. This title has no ISBN.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Erythroxylum coca

• Shared Responsibility
• Legalize Coca Leaves – and Break the Consensus
• OneWorld.net Analysis: Blurred Vision on Coca Eradication
• The Coca Museum (A private museum in La Paz, Bolivia)
• Coca - Cocaine website of the Transnational Institute (TNI)
• Coca, Cocaine and the International Conventions Transnational Institute
• Enaco S.A. Peruvian Enterprise of the Coca, Official Website
• Coca Yes, Cocaine No? Legal Options for the Coca Leaf Transnational Institute (TNI), Drugs & Conflict Debate Paper 13, May 2006
• Coca leaf news page – Alcohol and Drugs History Society

Central La Paz La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ... The Alcohol and Drugs History Society is a scholarly organization whose members study the history of a variety of illegal, regulated, and unregulated drugs such as opium, alcohol, and coffee. ...

Photographs

• 27 original photos on coca growing in La Convención valley, Cuzco Province, Peru
• Harvesting coca in Yungas de La Paz, Bolivia
• Drying coca in the Chapare, Bolivia
• Coca Tea products manufactured in Peru by Enaco S.A.

Videos

• Democracy Now Interview with Bolivian President Evo Morales, in which he discusses the coca leaf
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez chews a coca leaf during a public TV broadcast and discuss its benefits

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