TITLE: Take the Coca out of Cola, Bolivian farmers say PUBLICATION: Mail & Guardian (Cape Town) DATE: 17 March 2007 URL: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=302259&area= /breaking_news/breaking_news__business/ Mail & Guardian | 17 March 2007 TAKE THE COCA OUT OF COLA, BOLIVIAN FARMERS SAY It may be called Coca-Cola, but though the drink uses the name of the coca leaf, its maker shies away from confirming whether the leaf is one of its ingredients. Now Bolivian coca farmers want to reclaim the leaf as part of their country's cultural heritage by forcing the United States drinks giant to change its brand name. A resolution by a farmers' lobby group has been adopted by an assembly that is rewriting Bolivia's Constitution, potentially tipping the government into a legal battle against Coca-Cola and other companies that use the name of the leaf. The Andean nation has used the plant in religious ceremonies and as a mild stimulant since before Christopher Columbus. As the raw ingredient of cocaine, however, it has been stigmatised by the US and the United Nations, which want to reduce its cultivation drastically. Under President Evo Morales, a former coca grower, Bolivia has campaigned for recognition of the plant's cultural importance as well as its legitimate uses. Coca-Cola denies ever having used cocaine in earlier versions of its drink, but will not say whether the natural leaf forms part of its secret recipe. Until a few years ago the Atlanta-based company bought tonnes of leaves annually. Growers resent that the multinational uses the plant's name but does not defend it against US-backed restrictions, which prevent Bolivia exporting products made with coca. "Instead of satanising the leaf, they need to understand our situation," David Herrera, a state government supervisor for the coca-growing Chapare region, told Reuters. Coca-Cola released a statement saying its trademark was "the most valuable and recognised brand in the world" and was protected under Bolivian law. GOING FURTHER (compiled by GRAIN) "Bolivia: ¿Coca-Cola sin 'coca'?", BBC Mundo, Londres, 16 de marzo de 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_64570 00/6457561.stm "Solicitan no usar el nombre de la coca", La Razón, La Paz, 15 de marzo de 2007. http://www.la-razon.com/versiones/20070315_005846/nota_247_ 402408.htm Dan Keane, "Coca-Cola should drop the 'coca', Bolivia growers say", Associated Press, 15 March 2007. http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=295601 2 "Bolivia tells Coca-Cola to get rid of the word 'coca'", Agencia EFE, 15 March 2007. http://journalperu.com/?p=589