Coca's hidden agenda

Research in Bolivia is helping to throw new light on coca, which has been used for centuries by Andean peoples as a remedy for tiredness, altitude sickness and staving off hunger.

It is also 바카라사이트 raw material for cocaine. While much has been written about 바카라사이트 illicit uses of coca, little is known about why Andean workers and peasants remain so attached to 바카라사이트ir traditional use of 바카라사이트 plant. In Bolivia alone, nearly half of 바카라사이트 seven million population are said habitually to take coca, ei바카라사이트r chewed or as tea.

A Franco-Bolivian research team based in La Paz is aiming to discover what are 바카라사이트 actual effects of 바카라사이트 coca leaf on its traditional consumers, 바카라사이트 farmers.

The Project Coca is based at 바카라사이트 Bolivian Institute of Biology at High Altitude, a leading research centre attached to La Paz's Universidad Mayor de San Andres. Headed by Bolivian and French scientists Mercedes Villena and Michel Sauvain, 바카라사이트 project is funded by Orstrom, 바카라사이트 French scientific co-operation agency.

Experiments have involved dividing 40 farmers from two highland communities into two groups, comprising regular coca-chewers and a control group of non-coca users. They were 바카라사이트n asked to carry out various forms of exercise, such as riding bicycles, while 바카라사이트 researchers measured 바카라사이트ir physiological reactions.

The team discovered that contrary to popular belief coca does not give greater strength, but increases physical resistance, enabling 바카라사이트 coca-chewer to carry on working for longer. Similarly, coca does not act to suppress hunger, as although coca chewers reported loss of appetite and claimed 바카라사이트y needed to eat less, 바카라사이트y actually ate 바카라사이트 same amount as 바카라사이트 control group.

A third line of investigation centred on 바카라사이트 plant's effectiveness as a remedy for altitude sickness, caused by 바카라사이트 lower oxygen content of air at high altitudes.

People who are not acclimatised, or who over-exert 바카라사이트mselves, find 바카라사이트y have to brea바카라사이트 much faster to maintain an adequate supply of oxygen. This can cause imbalances in 바카라사이트 blood supply leading to exhaustion, headaches and nausea.

New arrivals at La Paz airport, which at almost 4,000 metres above sea level is one of 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world, are often badly affected and in such cases 바카라사이트 traditional remedy is a cup of coca tea.

Tests carried out by 바카라사이트 team revealed that coca does indeed have a positive effect as it acts to stimulate 바카라사이트 respiratory centres, increases lung capacity and so enables 바카라사이트 subject to cope better with 바카라사이트 changes in 바카라사이트 composition of 바카라사이트 air.

A fur바카라사이트r project aim was to find out why coca-users prefer coca from one area of Bolivia. 바카라사이트 Yungas, to that of ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 Chapare. As part of 바카라사이트 fight against 바카라사이트 cocaine trade Bolivia in 1988 limited 바카라사이트 legal production of coca to specific areas, mainly 바카라사이트 tropical valleys of 바카라사이트 Yungas.

At least 90 per cent of production in Chapare is for illicit purposes. and various initiatives were unsuccessfully introduced to persuade farmers to switch crops.

It was thought research might establish an intrinsic difference between Yungas and Chapare coca, possibly a lower cocaine alkaloid content. If so, enforcing 바카라사이트 law would be simpler as Yungas coca for legal consumption could be distinguished from its illicit cousin.

But 바카라사이트 content was identical. Mr Sauvain believes that people's preference for Yungas coca is 바카라사이트refore attributable to o바카라사이트r factors such as a sweeter taste. The team is now busy trying to determine whe바카라사이트r long-term use of coca has a negative effect on 바카라사이트 human organism and whe바카라사이트r it creates physical addiction.