[Transnational Institute

 >http://www.tni.org/]

April 25, 2008

By: Tom Blickman

On April 23, 2008, the European Parliament approved a report by MEP
Giusto Catania on the Green Paper on the role of civil society in drugs
policy in the European Union. The EP, among other things, called “on the
Commission and the Member States to explore ways of cooperating with EU
civil-society organisations involved in promoting substances derived
from coca leaves for lawful use purely as a means of contributing
effectively (by absorbing raw materials) to international action against
drugs trafficking, ensuring at the same time the safe use of such
substances.”

In other words, the EP now is in favour of the licit use of coca leaves
as a way to fight drug trafficking. That is how BBC Mundo – the Spanish
language section of the BBC – interpreted the text (oddly enough the
news has not reached the English language press).

“The coca leaf is not cocaine,” according to the rapporteur Giusto
Catania from the Group of the European United Left. “It is a historical
plant that might have many uses.” He added that the commercialisation of
licit substances derived from the coca leaf has to promoted to support
peasants and producers.

Although it is only a recommendation to the Commission and Member
States, it is yet another small step to rectify the historical mistake
of listing the coca leaf together with cocaine and heroin on Schedule I
of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. The result is
that it is prohibited to export innocuous products like coca tea to
Europe. An absurdity that has to be corrected and the initiative of the
EP is a welcome step forward in this respect.

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