Biannual

biannual • \bye-AN-yuh-wul\ • adjective

1 : occurring twice a year

2 : occurring every two years (biennial?)

The theme of today's post is coca because, depending on the growing cycle, it is harvested biannually or semiannually. It is used daily by many Bolivians as a natural energizer, a cure for altitude sickness, and it is a key ingredient in many tinctures and herbal remedies. The Incas considered it a holy plant, that it descended from the gods themselves. I used to love to drink coca tea every morning instead of coffee because it would wake me up without feeling jittery.

Coca is an interesting topic for several reasons:

1. It is one of the most divisive issues in Bolivia right now. Part of the reason for the recent surge in campesino and cocalero related strikes and bloqueos is because of the U.S.-sponsored campaign to irradiate the coca plant in a vain attempt to cut cocaine production.

2. It is classified as a Schedule 1 Narcotic by the UN and the US, which puts it in the same designation as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine (which is a little ridiculous considering it is less addictive than chocolate). This is despite popular protest and admonitions from the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales. The fact that it is a Schedule 1 Narcotic is absolutely ridiculous. It is not addictive, more mild than your average coffee, and has been used culturally and spiritually by the indigenous peoples of Bolivia for over a millennium. Although it is the main ingredient in cocaine, coca does not equal cocaine. The argument of comparing coca to cocaine is the same as saying that Draino should be illegal because it is used in methamphetamine manufacturing. Chewing coca leaves or drinking tea is nothing close to using cocaine in any form. I know, I speak from experience. One other item to consider is the fact that when cocaine was at its peak price (during the 80s), the Bolivian economy was experiencing its worse crisis it had ever seen. With this information, it should be obvious that Bolivia really does not benefit much from illicit drug manufacturing; they simply want to sell coca so that it may be used responsibly.

3. It is one of the large reasons that the Left has been doing so well in Bolivia for the last decade or so is because of coca. The Eradication Program is perceived by the populace as an unpopular extension of US imperialism. Evo Morales, who is definitely a socialist, got his start in pro-coca union organization. These unions umbrellaed outwards to create MAS (el Movimiento al Socialismo), Evo's party and the current majority holder in the Bolivian congress. Finally, it reflects poorly on the previous regimes and the American government because through suppression of a small minority, they have put this anti-American minority on the throne of power.

Coca is really fun to chew or drink in a tea. It cures altitude sickness and headaches really fast, and is much better than coffee for a morning pick-me-up. I hope that if you ever travel to Bolivia that you will partake in la hoja santa so that you might see that it does not deserve to be scheduled as heroin, cocaine, or meth.