Colombia Urges UN to Reconsider Coca Leaf Classification
On Monday, Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia, made a passionate plea to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to remove coca leaves from its list of harmful substances. Speaking at the CND’s 68th session in Vienna, Austria, Sarabia argued that coca leaves, the primary ingredient in cocaine, have significant industrial potential and should not be categorized alongside dangerous drugs. She emphasized that removing coca leaves from the prohibited list could pave the way for their use in manufacturing fertilizers and beverages, while also undermining the drug trade by redirecting the leaves toward legal industries.
Sarabia stressed that this proposal does not signal a shift in Colombia’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking. Instead, she called for a global “rethink” of drug policies, asserting that the current approach has failed to address the root causes of drug-related violence and environmental destruction. “The evidence is overwhelming: drug trafficking has slowed the development of our country, victimized millions of peasants, financed terrorist groups, and devastated essential ecosystems such as the Amazon,” she said. By leveraging the industrial potential of coca leaves, Sarabia believes Colombia can reclaim the plant from drug cartels and channel it into productive uses.
Colombia’s Decades-Long Struggle with Coca and Cocaine
Colombia, the world’s top producer of cocaine, has long grappled with the challenges posed by coca cultivation and drug trafficking. For decades, criminal groups and Marxist organizations like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) have exploited coca leaves to produce cocaine, fueling violence and corruption. The process involves harvesting coca leaves, chemically converting them into coca paste, and then refining the paste into cocaine. Despite efforts to eradicate coca production, the drug trade remains a pervasive issue, with coca leaves currently classified as a harmful substance under the UN’s 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
However, Colombia’s approach to drug policy has shifted under President Gustavo Petro, who took office in August 2022. Breaking from his predecessors, Petro has adopted more lenient policies, focusing on targeting drug trafficking networks rather than cracking down on coca leaf production. While this approach has drawn criticism, Petro defends it as a more effective way to disrupt the drug trade. He has also sparked controversy by downplaying the harm of cocaine, comparing it to sugar and alcohol. “Cocaine is not worse than whiskey,” Petro said during a televised government meeting, arguing that its illegality stems from its association with Latin America rather than its actual harm.
The Debate Over Coca Leaf Reclassification
Sarabia’s proposal to remove coca leaves from the UN’s list of harmful substances has sparked both hope and concern. She highlighted Colombia’s recent progress in combating drug trafficking, citing the seizure of over 1.9 million kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and the destruction of 454 clandestine laboratories since Petro took office. Sarabia argued that reclassifying coca leaves would allow Colombia to explore their industrial and scientific potential while stripping drug traffickers of a key resource.
However, critics warn that such a move could inadvertently empower criminal organizations. Miguel Tunjano, a retired colonel of Colombia’s Anti-Narcotics Police, criticized Sarabia’s proposal as “oxygen” for drug cartels, arguing that it would give them unchecked access to coca leaves to produce cocaine. Similarly, former Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno condemned the request as a “great favor to organized crime, terrorism, and those who destroy tropical forests and pollute rivers.” He warned that reclassifying coca leaves could pave the way for a “narco-state” in Colombia, undermining the country’s credibility and exacerbating corruption.
The Broader Implications of Drug Policy Reform
The debate over coca leaf reclassification reflects a larger global conversation about drug policy and its effectiveness. Proponents of reform argue that decades of prohibition have failed to curb drug production and trafficking, while instead fueling violence, corruption, and environmental degradation. They advocate for a more nuanced approach that prioritizes public health, sustainable development, and the empowerment of rural communities.
For Colombia, the stakes are particularly high. As the world’s top cocaine producer, the country has borne the brunt of the drug war’s consequences, from displaced peasants to devastated ecosystems. Sarabia’s proposal, while controversial, represents a bold attempt to break with the status quo and explore new strategies to address the root causes of the drug trade. Whether the international community will embrace this vision remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the current approach is no longer sustainable. As Sarabia put it, “We cannot continue repeating the mistakes of the past. For Colombia, refocusing this policy is a matter of life and peace.”
