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Coca Leaf Use in Southern Peru: Some Biosocial Aspects
Author(s) -
HANNA JOEL M.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1974.76.2.02a00020
Subject(s) - coca , biosocial theory , addiction , consumption (sociology) , persistence (discontinuity) , simple (philosophy) , geography , history , demography , sociology , psychology , psychiatry , archaeology , social science , social psychology , philosophy , epistemology , personality , geotechnical engineering , engineering
The use of coca leaves in the Andean region has usually been condemned as a simple addiction to cocaine. This paper summarizes a series of studies in the southern Andes which consider the biological and economic motivations of the users. It is suggested that consumption of leaves is limited to avoid the undesirable effects of large doses of cocaine, while the smaller doses received are beneficial in certain aspects of the arduous life at high altitude. The persistence of the practice is viewed in terms of economics. It is concluded that coca plays a role in Andean life which is not related to simple addictive properties .