Morales defends coca

The Bolivian president, Evo Morales, has called for the lifting of the ban on the coca leaf, the raw material used for making cocaine and crack.



The plant is used in its natural form by indigenous communities in the Andes.



Mr. Morales said he has already gone to the United Nations anti-drug conference in Vienna to fight for the traditional uses of coca.



He also appealed to US President Barack Obama to support the decriminalisation of the plant, which is used to combat hunger and altitude sickness.