Coca Colla

As California prepares to vote on the legalization of marijuana, Bolivia explores new popular uses for coca. Both demonized by US agencies profiting from police and military actions against them, these medicinal herbs have been used for thousands of years as tonics and stimulants, much like their unscathed cousins consumed at high tea. Consumed widely in Bolivian cafes, as well as in sacred indigenous ceremonies, coca in its natural state holds great export potential for beneficial use; the only obstacle is restrictions developed in response to US drug war hysteria, a policy pursued mostly for reasons other than public health.