The United Nations Convention on Narcotic Drugs readmitted
Bolivia into its fold on Friday, universally recognizing the
right of Bolivians to chew the coca leaf. This gives President
Evo Morales one of his most important victories thus far in his
global efforts to decriminalize the coca leaf. Bolivia had
voluntary withdrawn from the UN group a year ago because it
classified the coca leaf as an "illicit drug." On Friday,
however, a majority of the convention's members voted to allow
Bolivia back into the committee and also approved a statute
which says that chewing the coca leaf is legal within Bolivia's
borders. It's a largely symbolic victory, as this UN commission
lacks the power to regulate coca leaf consumption in Bolivia in
the first place. But the UN declaration has been welcomed by the
Bolivian government, which is planning to invite the country's
coca growers to massive coca-chewing events in the cities of La
Paz and Cochabamba next Monday. The coca leaf is the base
material for cocaine. But for centu