Evo says he will go to Vienna to defend coca leaves chewing

COCA LEAVES CHEWING • President Evo Morales announced that he will travel to Vienna in March to defend the traditional use of coca as coca leaves chewing and urged coca growing peasants to organize themselves to accompany to him to the event in Austria.

By EUGEN ROXAS

Bolivian traditional coca leaves chewing. Photo © CocaGrowers.com®

LA PAZ, Bolivia (TAP).— Mr. Morales made the announcement in his first radio program in Coca Kausachun broadcast station in the Tropical zone of Cochabamba.

Presidente Morales said:

"We're socializing the legalizing of coca leaves chewing" .

On March 12 will be a meeting in Vienna: the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations (UN) will congregate to evaluate the strategies in the global fight against drugs.

The President asked his "buddies" that become organized. He said:

"In the past we were alone, the Government was on his side, we were on our side".

"Now we go together: President and leaders".

In years past, and as president of Bolivia, Morales traveled to Vienna and chewed coca leaves (akulliku tradition) in that meeting. Then his Government in June 2011 announced the grievance of the country to the Convention none its withdrawal.

Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said that "at no time" Vienna Convention was abandoned, but questioned the Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, when it declared "akulliku" (coca leaves chewing) illegal.

Chewing coca leaves or akulliku

Eugen Roxas chewing coca leaves. Photo © THE ACHACACHI POST®

Chewing of coca leaves is the traditional way of enjoy the juice of them. This has been done so by natives of South America for millenia.

Simply pick the leaves and let them dry. Do not eat them. Doing that when they are still fresh is not tasty at all, it tastes very 'green'. After approximately three days the leaves will have dried and become crispy but still remain flexible.

You can, also, buy them ready to chew.

Fold four to ten leaves without breaking them. Now simply put in your mouth. First put the package between the inside of your cheek and teeth and let saliva soak into the leaves. Once they have softened up you can chew--not really chew just suck-- until it becomes a fine pulp. Do not eat this fine pulp, spit it.

You will notice that your gums will go slightly numb and THE EFFECTS of the plant will start to manifest itself: no hungry neither tired and feel more stronger for hours. If you are climbing there will not be any headache.

One way of making your leaves even more potent and fast acting is by adding a small amount of Sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. cleansing salt or baking soda; it can be bought in almost any supermarket or drugstore). Or you can buy "llujta" together with the coca leaves. It is bought in coca markets. It is a small black ring of bicarbonate.

Coca leaf market. Photo © THE ACHACACHI POST®

That way you will achieve the desired effects faster and more intensly. Because of the Sodium bicarb you will notice a slightly salty taste and the Sodium bicarb will also cause a slight fizzing effect. Just keep on chewing 'cause this is exactly what you whish to achieve. Once again you may swallow or spit out the pulp once you have finished chewing.

Source: The Achacachi Post^®