The UN drug control watchdog on Tuesday blasted Bolivia's decision to leave a global drug convention and to rejoin it, with reservations, arguing that the step weakens the fight against narcotics, according to AP. The South American country rejected the treaty on July 1 and said it would sign on again as of next year, but would not accept an article which bans the chewing of coca leaves. The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said in a statement that other countries should not accept such a pick-and-choose approach, even if it was legally sound. "Such (an) approach would undermine the integrity of the global drug control system, undoing the good work of governments over many years ..." the board said in a statement. The government in Bolivia, the world's third largest coca producer, considers chewing the leaves a traditional practice. Opposition groups have expressed fears that cancelling the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs would lead to an uncontrolled expansion of coca growing, a charge that the government rejects. -- SPA
