Coca
Photo: Stevage, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Coca (Erythroxylum coca) is a plant whose leaves have been traditionally used in a number of Andean cultures, notably in tea, chewing, and rituals, and remains in wide, legal use in the corresponding modern countries in South America. However, as a raw material for cocaine, coca leaves and derived products (unless decocainized) are illegal in the vast majority of countries, under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Coca products may thus be consumed while in some South American countries, but should not be taken home as souvenirs, under penalty of often very severe drug trafficking laws, in some cases execution. This applies not only to the raw leaves, but to derived products, such as tea, which contain small amounts of cocaine. To be safe, do not bring coca home.
AvailabilityCoca is primarily used in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, and is found to a lesser degree in Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador.
Health effectsCoca is often advocated for prevention of altitude sickness, but this is misleading. Coca does not speed acclimatization to altitude, but rather alleviates symptoms by acting as a stimulant, similarly to caffeine.
ConsumptionThe most familiar preparation for tourists is coca tea, widely served in the Andes, and functioning very similarly to coffee or tea: a stimulating drink, primarily consumed in the morning.
RitualsWhen hiking in the Andes and crossing a pass, coca leaves may be added to cairns, as an alternative to a rock, and more conformant with the “Leave No Trace” philosophy.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Coca" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Stevage, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons