On a recent trip to Bolivia I met and tried to chew the Coca Leaf, or as the Bolivians say, I had the opportunity to "make a bolito (little ball)", which is to keep in my mouth for a while chewed coca leaves, wetting them with saliva, that release the famous alkaloid bit by bit.
This practice is absolutely legal in Bolivia, although the sowing of the plant is legal only in some departments, not in the whole territory; it is only planted where the native indigenous communities live. What is prohibited is to process it, for its consumption it is only collected, dried and mixed with baking soda to preserve it.
What effects does it produce? It takes away sleep, activates, improves the mood (makes you laugh) and makes you very hungry. This last effect is what surprised me the most since one of the reasons why commercialization is allowed is because the indigenous people argue that it helps them to endure hunger and cold in their long working days in the Bolivian highlands; to diminish the cold I believe it but endure hunger I put in doubt: after consuming it, I could have eaten an elephant.
P.D.: The green bag is characteristic.
Best Regards and Thank You.
And it’s so nutritious!! Best! it’s also the best if you get mountain sickness! We pimp up always our green smoothies 😍