Bolivian President Evo Morales, who is also the head of Bolivia's coca growing union, had campaigned hard to get the UN to reverse what he called a "historic wrong" and lift its longstanding ban on the chewing of coca leaves.

BBC: Bolivia achieves coca-chewing victory at United Nations

On the other hand, there are still plenty of rural Southerners who see nothing wrong with getting a lift from government.

CNN: latimes.com: The South is crucial for Bush but straying