BAN KHAT NOW!!!

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

to Caano Geel:

 

you only need to see khat-houses to realise that its jam-packed with young people. In certain places, the owners have lured many young people to khat-houses by providing pool-tables, wide-screen televisions that show big sports events and then eventually Khat.

 

Khat-houses are full of young somalis as the older generation either chew at their homes with respect or in exclusive khat-houses!. If the young were to bring it to their homes, the stigma attached to khat is a damning one and this often leaves them no choice but consume khat is marfeshes. get your argument in check, before commenting without any thought.

 

marc

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

Caano Geel: your argument doesn't stand and preaching it doesn't help

 

this is completely pathetic, how can you suggest that banning KHAT is wrong! my argument is that is should be at first regulated then banned thereafter. Also you are a small minority of people who are pro-Khat. The vast majority of somalis are for the ban of khat and this will eventually happen.

[Pujah]

Ban jaad in the UK, the price goes up to 50 pound and all the addicts still consume it just the same. What did that solve except criminalize it.

[underdog]

Marc,

I have entirely too many issues with this your take on this whole khat issue. The matter is extremely complicated and your argument for banning it entirely simplistic and highly ineffective.

 

Firstly there's an issue of substance abuse. Khat isn't the first abused intoxicant. As a matter fact, if you were to create a list of abusable substances khat would neither be the best nor the worst. The issue in my opinion is the people using khat. removing khat from the equation WILL NOT resolve their addiction issues.

 

Imposing a ban will not stop the Khat trade. have you seen the trade numbers?

Kenya exports about $250 million of khat annually, beating out tea as one of the county's most lucrative exports, according to the Kenyan government.

Dozens of flights leave Nairobi's two major airports every day, transporting burlap sacks filled with khat to Somalia in a trade that is worth about $300,000 a day, according to Kenya's National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse.

Source

 

So what does your plan to ban khat do? It creates a new powerful new criminal network... Heroin in Afghanistan, Cocaine in Columbia. The price of a marduuf sky-rockets and places a greater burden on households that are struggling to begin with. Then the same old guys will be sitting in the same old corners chewing the same old khat. Only this time, they'll be criminals. and since Somalis will the be major importers of your now illegal commodity, this will create a social stigma of Somalis being drug lords and addicts.

 

“The path of least resistance makes all rivers, and some men, crooked.”

Banning Khat is a the path of least resistance, the mind set of khat abusers is the challenge you should be focusing on. How do we educate the people and help them resolve their problem?

[Caano Geel]

Mr Smith, waalaal i think *underdog* said it all, and i'll just add to it by commenting of u're notion of *luring* young people.

 

in saying that, you take any notion of choice out of the equation and make it sound as though your peers are zombies dragged left and right by the shine of the green leaves - now do you honestly believe that? and i don't think you do,

 

if you do want to look at the issues facing somali youth look at the number festering at her majesty's pleasure and there are plenty of people here on SOL that can get you in contact so you can learn first hand.

 

so don't undermine your concern by picking trophy causes with populist and irrelevant measure

[Ismahaan]

Khat is the social drug of choice among Somalis. Around 92% of Somali men in Britain are thought to chew this bloody h plant. Researchers are currently investigating the khat’s long-term health effects, following concern khat may be linked to heart and mental problem. Also various chemicals involved in Khat and no one knows what long-term effects they could have on the central nervous system (CSN) and heart. Khat is doing a great damage. Indeed khat is a breakdown in social relations in Somali community. The most commonly cited social problems associated with khat use concerned the family unit and/or the marital relationship.

 

In my point of view, khat should be considered a drug like heroin, cannabis; cocaine etc. our community is under-achieving and I believe this plant is party to blame. The Somalis who are productive are those who don’t chew. Thus I’m pretty sure as long as we are chewing this plant we can never become a nation, or establish an economy or be productive.

[Baashi]

Mr. Smith is right on the money. Khat is a drug. Governments have an obligation to regulate drugs. To do so regulatory agencies need to know enough about the drug in question in this case khat or qaad to make an informative and educated decision. Government has to commission a study group, allocate resources, and publicize its findings. Enforcement agencies also need to know enough about the drug in order to carry out their enforcement duties.

 

That being said regulating drugs is a tall order. The war on drug in the states and its success or lack there off in eradicating the use of drugs tells you enough about the difficulties associated with combating determined drug lords and complacent users.

 

Awoowe khat is a contributing factor to Somali societal problems (both Diaspora and back home). My man Smith seems to notice this problem. His proposed methods may not fit to function but still he is bringing up an important issues to our attention.

 

As a side note majority of khat eaters I come to know over the years have similar problems. They all place more value on their 'friends' than their families. Overwhelming majority of them have recurring marital problems -- overnight stay, spending higher % of the family income on the drug, time issues, etc.

 

They tend to borrow money from family members most of the time. They seem to mix up their priorities (missing work -- no call no show mostly as result of hangover). About six of my friends have now become cab drivers as that suits their lifestyle.

 

The khat is an issue of great importance to Somalis. My concern is once it becomes illegal it will increase deliquencies (misdemeanor, felony, etc.) as some of the users are addicts. And that may do more harm than relief.

[NinBrown]

Hey where do you get a figure like 92% of Somali men in the UK chew Khat...thats so rubish...if anything majority of Somali men in the UK dont chew khat. Only a minority abuse this drug.

[NGONGE]

CG,

I thought I was always nice to new people (it's not a new year resolution, honest).

 

As for Khat, here is a little incident that happened to me recently. Yes, it is another Syria story.

 

Before I recently visited that country, I phoned a few friends there to inform them of my impending arrival. They were very excited and told me to phone them a few days before flying out! In my innocence, I assumed they made such a request so that they can prepare things and ensure I receive the best of Somali hospitality upon my arrival. But, just as I am sure you guessed, that was not it!

 

They wanted me to smuggle them some Khat. I strongly refused and told them that I would be mad to put myself through such a risk. But they insisted that I should do it! I told them that I don't want to end up in jail, they told me that I will not end up in jail! There was a strange confidence and unexplainable swagger to their argument that I actually wondered if Syrian Airport security was that lax!

 

After stubbornly continuing to refuse to take part in such a risky business, they changed their tack and begged me to listen to the plan they had. It was a simple plan really and I would be lying if I was not tempted (for a split second).

 

The plan was as follows:

 

I had to go to my local mafrash and buy the biggest quantity of Khat I could safely take as part of my luggage. Passing through UK customs and security was ok because this particular drug is not illegal here. However, once I got into Syria I was supposed to wait in the arrivals hall (before having my passport stamped and luggage checked). This is where the Syrian part of this crime syndicate was supposed to come into play. My friends said that someone will approach me and take the Khat suitcase of my hands, leaving me to go through customs with no incriminating evidence.

 

Once I was through and in the town, my friends would have taken me to the Somali Embassy to meet the Ambassador's son and get to retrieve the suitcase from him (yes, it was he who was supposed to meet me in the Airport and claim the bag as Somali diplomatic property). His fee for such a daring feat? Twenty bundles of Khat!

 

Khat is being enjoyed in Syria on a regular bases and I hear that many stronger willed people than I are more than happy to smuggle the darn thing to that country. Saudi Arabia too has its fair share of marshes and Khat dens!

 

Still, as an irregular chewer myself (and though my opinion might be tainted somewhat), I don't believe Khat should be banned. Banning it, as the story above proves, will not make that much difference. Rather, what I believe should be done is to demonise the thing and make it socially unacceptable. This should (in the long term) drive all the sensible people away from it and also help stop Khat from being an integral ingredient in Somali social gatherings. This would only leave the hardcore element hooked on Khat and would allow the rest of Somalis to be free to pursue other addictions (or not).

 

Khat itself has never been the problem.

[ElPunto]

I find ludicrous the argument that 'banning' X or Y (or Khat) will 'drive it underground' and that a ban accomplishes nothing. There is a 'demand' for everything in society from khat to sex with underage children. At some point a society draws lines - I think people need to focus on where that line should be rather than a baseless argument about driving it underground.

 

IMO - khat should be banned in the UK. Much of the UK trade fuels the khat that gets into North America. And quite frankly paying a higher price(both in dollars and criminal penalties) for consuming this crappy green leaf is warranted.

[Fabregas]

If khat was banned in the U.K it wuld become just like high grade(skunk). Weed is banned, but does it eradicate any problems facing the youth? No! infact not long ago the government downgraded it and then upgraded it again! .I could ppl also imagine people writing to their m.ps and writing petitions to the government if any such decision was on the cards.

 

 

@marc smith, Somalia or England or North America it will have the same effect...ie drive it underground and from what I know of the drug problem in the U.K it could become popular and "ghetto" to the youngers".....

[N.O.R.F]

I think you all need to have a sit down. Location - London.

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

I for one will be more than happy to sit down with anyone who wants to talk about Khat or any other topic. I strong believe that Khat will be banned, but this is has been halted by the high levels of apathy of somali community leaders and so-called intelligensia who claim to have all the answers and yet sit there and do nothing (members of SOL).

 

MARC

[cynical lady]

high levels of apathy of somali community leaders and so-called intelligensia who claim to have all the answers and yet sit there and do nothing (members of SOL).

 

Now that’s just hilarious

[Laba-X]

The Marfish

 

You are instantly accosted by the clouds of smoke on entering through the grubby door; rings of white puffs sail along the faded walls of the corridor and softly circle up to embrace the moist ceiling. The strumming of the Oud, with Axmed Mooge’s voice or the dulcet tones of Sahra Axmed floating through the thick air, can be heard coming from a broken tape recorder in some corner.

 

And as you walk in to the shabby room, the clamour of slurred voices deafen the atmosphere - loud and obnoxious. The walls inside the room, sweating with humidity, are usually of green or blue in colour with mismatching yellow patterns at times and the windows, misty with condensed air and water drizzling down to the window sill, always seem to be locked.

 

The damp atmosphere and the stench must be preserved to get the full benefits of this evening. Several stained Arabic cushions lie on the floor, going along the walls of the room to serve as the seating area and a carpet, decorated with ashes, cigarette butts and burns occupies the middle of the floor, covering a washed-out wooden flooring bestrewn with leaf stalks.

 

A group of about 20-30 men in dowdy garments, grinding mouthfuls of leaves with their stained teeth and a green paste of saliva dribbling from the corners of their mouths as they speak, sit huddled together on the cushions as if clustering for warmth. In front of each of them lies a blue plastic bag with his treasure in it - several small greenish-brown twigs, each with a few leaves at the top, all assembled into fine rows and ready for consumption. Beside the plastic bags, lies a waste bucket, covered in a blue plastic bag, a thermos flask, some bottles of still water, Shani drinks, and a hubbly-bubbly. The hubbly-bubbly us shared by about 3 or 4 men.

 

In the far corner, a wooden desk stands, enclosing the dealer or owner of the Marfish. Underneath the desk lies the containers of Qat, clustered in bundles for sale at about £5 each. Beside the dealer’s desk is a small refrigerator, containing some more boxes of Qat and bottles of still water and Shani drinks. A small television set is mounted atop a desk with Sky sports channels but the sound is muted.

 

These men, grandfathers, fathers, sons, uncles and brothers, coteries of pitiable simpletons, of whom half rely on the dole, have neglected families and friends for these leaves.

 

And as you stand in the room, a strange mixture of smell seeps out of it and into the corridor. One can not be sure as to what it is - the cigarette smoke, the hubbly-bubbly, or the perspiring bodies.

 

The health and safety auditors must have neglected these premises, but the evening here is the grandest, or such a feeling their minds are imbued with, and any other sort of leisure activity to match this is deemed futile. The lavish supply of leaves and the effect they induce is simply unmatched.

 

Welcome to the Marfish!