Summary:
- The coca leaf, which is the raw material for cocaine, has been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Andes region for its medicinal and cultural properties.
- However, the coca leaf has been criminalized globally due to its association with the illegal drug cocaine, despite the fact that the coca leaf and cocaine are chemically distinct.
- Scientists are now pushing the World Health Organization to decriminalize the coca leaf, arguing that it has legitimate uses and that its criminalization has disproportionately impacted indigenous communities.