ANTH106 Lecture 6: Cocaine and Drug Law Reform
2 Jun 2018
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ANTH106 – Week 6: Cocaine and Drug Law Reform
• Traditional uses of coca in Andean region (South America)
o Coca chewing was part of Indian culture before and during Inca
Empire (12th-16th century)
o Religious significance of coca for Incas
o In Bolivia and Peru, coca continues to have religious significance, as
well as a work stimulant and medicine (skin ulcers etc.)
• Growth of global market for coca and cocaine
o International demand for coca and cocaine began in 1860s with growth
of market in US and Europe for tonic medicines and drinks e.g. Vin
Mariani, Coca Cola (created by Pemberton – pharmacist)
o 1886 – Atlanta, Georgia legislated coca in coca cola
o Cocaine extracted from coca in 1860 by German chemist and
promoted by pharmaceutical industry in US and Europe – recreational
consumption of cocaine also increased. Europe: restricted in 1886; US
not until early 1900s (1903 = no more cocaine in coca cola)
o 1986 = 40% of Americans had tried cocaine – never spread to
Australia
o Expanding international demand for coca and cocaine encouraged
cultivation of coca outside South America – Dutch East Indies was the
major producer of coca from 1911 to late 1920s
o Bolivia and Peru regained pre-eminence in coca production after
WW2. Colombia has also become a major coca producer
• Cocaine as a transnational commodity chain
o Cocaine: five-part transnational commodity chain
o Part 1 – CULTIVATION
▪ A) Grown by peasants on small family farms at 300-800m
altitude
▪ B) Labour intensive: weeding, pruning, hand harvesting,
processing
▪ Coca is an attractive crop for peasants to grow because:
• 1. Coca seedlings can be harvested after just 1 year
growth
• 2. Crops can maintain high yields for up to 40 years
without fertilizer
• 3. Tolerates extreme fluctuations in temperature
• 4. Yields up to 4 harvests a year
• 5. Low susceptibility to disease
• 6. Low perishability
• 7. High profit-to-weight ratio
o Part 2 – Coca paste production
▪ Undertaken by many small producers
▪ Coca is soaked in pits and treated with kerosene, lime, water,
sodium bicarbonate and sulphuric acid
▪ Coca leaves are trampled by poor labourers
(pisadores/pisacocas) for chemical reactions; poor
disfigurement
o Part 3 – Cocaine refining
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
▪ Cocaine hydrochloride is produced from coca paste,
hydrochloric acid either acetone, methanol etc. – most refining
is in Colombia
▪ Cocaine refinement requires considerable capital e.g. expensive
equipment and imported chemicals
o Part 4 – cocaine export
▪ Cocaine export in 1980s dominated by Medellin and Cali
‘cartels’
▪ Since 1990s these ‘cartels’ replaced by smaller, low-profile
trafficking organisations which also export heroin to US
▪ Colombians have dominated cocaine exports due to:
• A) Strategic geographic location of Colombia
• B) Large Colombian population in US
• C) Weak state unable to control drug traffickers
(‘narco-entrepreneurs’)
o Part 5 – distribution in Western markets
▪ US
• Colombians play important role in distribution within
the US (especially NY with a large Colombian
population)
▪ Australia
• Australia: small market compared to US
• Larger quantities imported in bulk on ships from South
America – smaller quantities sent through mail/courier
• Cocaine imports increased during heroin ‘drought’ from
2001
• Cocaine use tied to other drugs’ availability
▪ Cocaine in Australia (recent trends) → 2010; reached highest
point in previous 10 years, increasing to 2.1% reported they
had used cocaine in the past year
▪ HOWEVER the frequency of cocaine use had not increased –
more people using it, yet not using more often (Very occasional
use)
▪ Survey reveals most harmful practicing (injecting) remains
stable over time; decrease in overall people using it once a
month or more over time
▪ None of the harm indicators reflect increase in cocaine coming
into country, or increase in prevalence
▪ Large seizures coming into the country, so there is a market in
Australia
• Cocaine addiction
o Only 14% likely to be compulsively ‘addicted’ users
o 28% use the drug more frequently and regularly, spending a
considerable amount of time on cocaine-related friends/activities
o 29% buy their own supplies but use it in a controlled, infrequent way
o 29% take the drug opportunistically if it happens to be around
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Anth106 week 6: cocaine and drug law reform: traditional uses of coca in andean region (south america, coca chewing was part of indian culture before and during inca. Europe: restricted in 1886; us not until early 1900s (1903 = no more cocaine in coca cola: 1986 = 40% of americans had tried cocaine never spread to. Coca seedlings can be harvested after just 1 year growth: 2. Crops can maintain high yields for up to 40 years without fertilizer: 3. Yields up to 4 harvests a year: 5. Most refining is in colombia: cocaine refinement requires considerable capital e. g. expensive equipment and imported chemicals, part 4 cocaine export, cocaine export in 1980s dominated by medellin and cali. America smaller quantities sent through mail/courier: cocaine imports increased during heroin drought" from. Interested in drug policy: early 1980"s, 3-4000 gay men east sydney contracted aids over 12- Australia"s drug policy : began evolve from early 20th century, anti chinese racism important factor.
