Is it legal to grow coca in Bolivia?
In 1988 coca growing became technically illegal outside a specially mandated 12,000- hectare area in the Yungas. A four-year government eradication campaign begun in 1989 sought to convert 55 percent of coca areas into legal crops.
Does the coca plant grow in the US?
In the United States, a Stepan Company plant in Maywood, New Jersey is a registered importer of coca leaf. The company manufactures pure cocaine for medical use and also produces a cocaine-free extract of the coca leaf, which is used as a flavoring ingredient in Coca-Cola.
Who is the largest producer of coca leaf?
Peru
Peru is considered the biggest coca leaf producer, with about 60,000 tons, followed by Bolivia with about 50,000 tons. But Colombia, with about 15,000 tons, leads the world with the largest cocaine trade.
Where is most of the coca grown?
About 70 percent of the world’s cocoa beans come from four West African countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. The Ivory Coast and Ghana are by far the two largest producers of cocoa, accounting for more than 50 percent of the world´s cocoa.
Can you buy coca leaves in Bolivia?
Coca leaves were declared an illegal substance under the 1961 UN convention on narcotic drugs. But the growing of coca leaves for religious and medicinal purposes is legal and licensed in Bolivia. President Evo Morales, who used to be a coca grower, has long campaigned to decriminalise the consumption of coca leaves.
Are there cartels in Bolivia?
The Santa Cruz Cartel (Spanish: Cártel de Santa Cruz) is a Bolivian drug cartel and criminal organization, said to be one of the largest in the country, headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Is it illegal to grow coca plants in the United States?
It is illegal to import, obtain, grow or possess coca plants or any part of a coca plant.
Is coca leaf legal in the US?
It is illegal to bring coca leaves into the U.S. for any purpose, including to use for brewing tea or for chewing.
Who produces the most Coke in the world?
Colombia
Colombia produces most of the world’s cocaine — and output is at a record-high. Colombia is the world’s top producer of cocaine, and cultivation of coca, the drug’s base product, has hit record levels two years in a row.
Where is coca grown in Colombia?
The great majority of coca cultivation takes place in the departments of Putumayo, Caquetá, Meta, Guaviare, Nariño, Antioquia, and Vichada.
Can you buy coca leaves in the United States?
Legal status Coca tea is legal in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Ecuador. Its use is being discouraged in part by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Coca tea is illegal in the United States unless it is decocainized.