COLUMNIST TIERNEY WRITES INTELLIGENTLY ON COCA LEAF

Thanks to columnist John Tierney for an intelligent article on the
"Coca Wars" ("Put the coca back in Coca-Cola," The Republican, Sept.
26. ),

Many are unfamiliar with benign coca leaf. They think it is a strong
intoxicant. It is not. It has been said, "coca leaf is to cocaine, as
rye bread is to rye whiskey." But the "powers that be" will never
decriminalize it, or the other fairly innocuous - nay even therapeutic
- devil's weed: ganja, kif, herb, bhang, charas, majum, grass,
Kannabis, marijuana.

Of course, everything can be misused, abused. But it is really hard to
use coca leaf in an abusive manner. The traditional cultures which
have been using such substances for thousands of years, will continue
their ways, and I say good fortune to them.

Art Victor

Turners Falls

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