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Eradication

coca eradication plane spraying herbicides in Colombia (wikimedia.org)
coca eradication plane spraying herbicides in Colombia (wikimedia.org)

Colombia Bill to Decriminalize Drug Crops Advances

A bill that would decriminalize drug crop cultivation in Colombia has passed a first reading in the lower house, but the government opposes it.
group photo at 2009 Summit of the Americas (whitehouse.gov)
group photo at 2009 Summit of the Americas (whitehouse.gov)

Historic Challenge to Drug War Looms at Cartagena Summit [FEATURE]

History is about to be made at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena this weekend. Hemispheric heads of state will discuss alternatives to the drug war and challenge the US prohibitionist model. This could be the beginning of the end.
statues of coca leaves adorn a small town plaza in Peru (photo by author)
statues of coca leaves adorn a small town plaza in Peru (photo by author)

Peru Fires Reformist Drug Czar

Peru's drug czar has been fired for being insufficiently enthusiastic about eradicating coca crops.
fusarium oxysprorum (wikimedia.org)
fusarium oxysprorum (wikimedia.org)

Drug Crop-Killing Fungi Too Risky, Scientists Say

No "Frankenfungi" for the drug warriors just yet -- we don't know enough about the dangers of using mycoherbicides to eradicate drug crops to be doing that, a panel of scientists from the National Research Council says.
Town plaza with statues honoring the coca leaf in the VRAE (photo by the author)
Town plaza with statues honoring the coca leaf in the VRAE (photo by the author)

Peru Halts Coca Eradication -- For Now

The new nationalist government of Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has announced the temporary suspension of coca eradication as it evaluates its options.