Exactly. Thanks for the additional clarification.

I said "Ancient and Sacred Leaf", in part, as a joke - but not entirely: The Leaf is, of course, ancient. It is also an important part of the culture, and, as such, considered sacred by many.

You may also find the Cokelore section of Snopes interesting, specifically, http://www.snopes2.com/cokelore/cocaine.htm.

Hilmar.

>Hilmar;
>
>Another use for coca is as a tea, which is used for altitude sickness. Many of the people that live at high elevations in the Andes chew the coca leaves to relieve altitude sickness. It is also a means to “forget your problems” by chewing enough – it does not take much to accomplish that.
>
>When there was an Inca Empire the chewing of coca was common in that socialistic society. It helped the subjugated people to endure his/her life by numbing his/her senses. The Spaniards took over and attempted to prohibit using coca. In Peru, where my wife is from it was or is easy to get coca leaves. I could ask some of my wife’s family who still live in Peru if that is still true.
>
>Much of the coca that is refined and sold in the United States is from South America and in some areas is a major crop and the only means of subsistence. By destroying the coca crop the income of many is also destroyed. The growers receive little for coca – it is the distributors of the refined coca that are rich and powerful.
>
>Addressing a means of replacing coca as a means of income must be addressed. It is the refined coca that is the problem to the world while the casual use of coca leaves is not a world-threatening problem.
>
>Tom