The Bolivian government formally notified the UN Secretary
General of its withdrawal from the 1961 Single Convention on
Narcotic Drugs (as amended by the 1972 Protocol) yesterday. The
withdrawal will enter into effect on 1 January 2012. At that
time, Bolivia will re-accede to the Convention with a
reservation on the coca leaf and its traditional uses. Bolivia’s
step – the first of its kind in the history of the UN drug
control treaties – comes after the rejection earlier this year
of its proposal to delete the Single Convention’s obligation
that “coca leaf chewing must be abolished” (article 49). A
number of countries, including the United States, objected. TNI
and WOLA express their full understanding and support for the
decision taken by the Morales administration, with the approval
of the Bolivian legislature. After its proposed amendment was
rejected, Bolivia had no other choice but to withdraw from the
Convention, given the need to reconcile its international treaty
obligations with the country’s new 200