BAN KHAT NOW!!!

[Mowgli]

Having worked in the mental health sector...I have seen more men being admitted for alcohol/substance abuse related problems than khat...in fact I can count on 1 hand in the last 2 yrs those have had serious issues with it.

 

And of all those that were addicted, all were unemployed...(for whatever reason). Perhaps had they had more in their lives...jobs, supportive family/friends etc, the other issues/problems they had would not have led to the addiction in the first place.

 

If you ban khat what do you really achieve? I doubt mid will wake up one day...thinking...oh darn it, I can't twiddle my thumbs all day long...ceertane toban saano kale ma awoodi e let me go find me some shaaqo

 

The absentee father will not suddenly become a father

 

Midki ingariis baranin after so long wouldn't suddenly start showing up to the english course he/she has been enrolled at for X amount of yrs

 

I am not denying khat is an issue, lakiin there are bigger things that need to be dealt with before hand.

 

PS the 90% figure for qaad users is only on the BBC site *ridiculous*...the only figure the Homeoffice uses *90 that is* is only to quote the percentage of Somalis born in Somalia out of 207 people in London.

 

They say 78% have tried khat at some point in their lives...and only 6% chew daily. Results can be manipulated to show exactly what you want...and a studying involving only 207 people is in no way the representation of Somalis in London...

[Paragon]

Hahaha

 

You guys are still on about banning jaad? Oo yaad idiin dirsaday idinku? Futto aadan lahayn laguma xaaro ayaan maqli jiray. Well...

[Jamster]

Chewing qaad use to be a social activity back in the north of Somalia and reserve area. The olden days, this was predominantly engaged by "Khusuusida" but it has later become too common and has lost it is prestige. And the way it is consumed in the west is it's lowest fashion.

 

TUMASHO

 

Duhurkii Togaa Herer hadaad qado ka soo tuurto

Hurdo laguma taamo e naftaa lala tacaalaaye

Aniga iyo todoba aan ku jiray tumasho soo qaadnay

Rag tabaabulshuu leeyahay ee wax is tusaalaynay

Sahan kama tagana meel mirqaan loo tawaawacay e

Laba tubaha noo sii cayma hore u tuurayay nay

 

Tog Wajaale qaadkii ka yimid tacab ku soo miidhnay

Markay laba tobnaad noo xidheen toobiyaha qaadnay

Taksi lagama maarmee nin waday suuqa nagu tooci

Tilmaan quruxsan goobtay fadhidee agabtu noo taalay

tusmadii hablaa lagu yiqiin saani ugu toosnay

 

Rag kaleeto goobtuu turqaday maare kaga teednay

Tubtii horeba boqol jaa'ifa ah taybalka u saaray

Nin waliba tankiisii haraaq tiilay ugu laabnay

Isaga oo falaas lagu tamilay laysu tebi shaaha

 

Tirsan mayno naag laga tegay iyo tu aan la doonayne

Laba aad Tukriga moodo oo tikhilka naagood ah

Iyo laba tafiirtii Janada lagu tilmaamaayo

Iyo laba wax layskuma tirshee sida tiriigaas ah

Iyo taan lahaan jiray markaan tumasho soo qaadno

Intaas oo xarago tiicaysa oo timeshla luudaysa

Intay toobab noo soo xihdeen tel iyo xiisaan leh

Anaguna gabdhaa kama tagnee geerash lagu teedi

 

Kaman talalax leeyiyo durbaan tiririgtood yeedhay

Tiiraanya qayshaha rabaab gacanta taabsiiye

Ilaahay ha tabantaabiyo e noogu tacab sowdka

Anaguna tastuurtay lahayd sacabka tiitaynay

Markii ay cabaar naga tumeen tegis u qoondayste

 

Tafwareenka sheekada rag weys tira tireeyaaye

Kaftan aan turxaan lagu ogayn la isku taataabay

Gabdhahay sheekadu noo taxnayd toganay haasaawe

Sidii tayse roob nagu onkoday taaha ku caweynay

Warmihii tumaatida cadaa tiirka qabadsiinay

Rag takooran baa nagu jirayee tabaha qaar diidnay

Inkasta ay taftuba noo dhaweyd teedka sharaf eegnay

Habeenkaa ninkii tamar badnaa taxay mirqaan kiisa.

[Jacaylbaro]

Yaa tuntay ...............

[Jamster]

^ Aniga cid aanan aheyn ;D

[ElPunto]

Originally posted by underdog:

If I, as a consenting adult, choose to engage in some recreational weekend munch-sessions, aren't you violating my free-will by trying to ban khat?

 

If I'm a functioning member of society who occasionally enjoys unwinding with some miraa in the privacy of my own home, will you come to my door and arrest me?

 

No - no one is violating your 'free will'. You can still choose to indulge in your khat sessions. Only if a ban goes into effect such indulgence may result in penalties. At that point the true cost of khat will become apparent to you.

[ElPunto]

Originally posted by -Serenity-:

I totally agree with

Baashi

and co here. Banning khat will most certainly reduce the number of consumers and its spread. Which is the eventual goal - it doesnt matter if a small number of ppl still get it via the black market. Most people will quit if its banned and becomes illegal (and we wont have to be subjected to that unsightly man with green stuff in his mouth on the trains

).

 

This is precisely right. And if as all the folks above say - only a tiny proportion of folks have a real problem(less than 10% as they say) then a ban shouldn't be a big deal. All the ocassional chewers can just subsitute an espresso.

 

At the end of the day,

 

A ban on khat = raising the cost of chewing khat (monetarily and criminally) = a likely reduction in frequency of chewing and the onset of new chewers = a better outoome for the Somali community

[Cara.]

^Not necessarily.

 

There are only a few men who chew daily. Banning khat for them will be painful, but they are unlikely to suddenly become functioning members of society. Not if welfare checks are still easier to come by than the reward of honest work. I'm guessing there will just be an increase in fadhi-ku-dirir gatherings at the local coffee shops.

 

Occasional chewers will do what other people who enjoy illicit drugs do: find a source and pay a little more than they are used to, or give it up. Since the terribly detrimental effects of khat on the community isn't stemming from the once-monthly masticator, it's hardly reasonable for taxpayer money to be wasted on enforcing the control of yet another illicit drug. Yet they will probably feel the brunt of it, since they can potentially lose jobs if arrested.

 

On the other hand, I would support some sort of regulation on khat so that it shouldn't be sold to minors. And by minors I mean anyone under 35

[Zafir]

Mr. Point, Being subjected to substitute is an infringement on one’s free will, how would you feel substituting your seasonal snow blower for a shovel Mr. Point? Wouldn't smuggle it in the chance you get, for the right price in a heart beat and use it in the wee hours to hide from the neighbors to plow. Would you wish that on any one? I know I wouldn't.

[ElPunto]

^Try again Zafir.

 

Originally posted by Cara:

^Not necessarily.

 

There are only a few men who chew daily. Banning khat for them will be painful, but they are unlikely to suddenly become functioning members of society. Not if welfare checks are still easier to come by than the reward of honest work. I'm guessing there will just be an increase in fadhi-ku-dirir gatherings at the local coffee shops.

Ahh! See - it's not a question of those folks suddenly becoming model citizens. That just obfuscates the issue. It is a question of probable harm reduction - for both the individual's pocketbook and health.

 

Occasional chewers will do what other people who enjoy illicit drugs do: find a source and pay a little more than they are used to, or give it up. Since the terribly detrimental effects of khat on the community isn't stemming from the once-monthly masticator, it's hardly reasonable for taxpayer money to be wasted on enforcing the control of yet another illicit drug. Yet they will probably feel the brunt of it, since they can potentially lose jobs if arrested.

 

In fact - occassional chewers are more likely to give this up altogether given the increased costs a ban would involve.

 

LOL at taxpayer money wasted. Any ban would hardly call for more resources simply for this particular drug. It would call for using the resources already in place against illicit drugs to seize and confiscate khat. ie. airport screeners would add khat to their list of things to search for. End of story.

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by Khalaf:

quote:

---

Originally posted by NGONGE:

LX,

 

Do you believe you have the RIGHT to make the WRONG choices? Do you think someone else should decide what's right and what's wrong for you?

I know this was directed as LX, and i didn't follow the discussion or watch the video, but to answer this question in another form, absoutly yes. Why are laws made? Where do laws come from? they dont come from thin air. If your choices as an individual are harmful to the majority (society), then people concerned citizens lobby and get legislations passed to change current policies. Who decides if your choices are harmful? Well the majority does. (speaking from a non-religious prespective)

 

ps: as for teens drinking/and smoking weed, that is an entirly different topic. the khat industry is an international business, and would/should concern governments/law ect.

Laws are there to protect the rights of the individual, saaxib. You have a right to indulge in whatever private acts you choose, as long as they do not harm society at large. In the case of Khat (in the UK at least) the harm argument is yet to be proven.

[underdog]

Maybe what we need is regulation (which I will fully support) But a ban on Khat is just plain ridiculous.Especially considering all the other readily available drugs that Somalis are consuming.

 

This maybe my personal view, but I would much rather see Somali youth with a mouth full of khat than stumbling around drunk.

 

Every society on the planet has a substance used as a social stimulant so whether you're talking about Opium usage in Asia, Cocaine in South America and even socially acceptable drugs like Marijuana and alcohol - I think we are way better off in terms of Health and social problems cause by khat. Thats not to say there isn't a negative aspect to it, there is. However in comparison to everything else out there, I'll choose Khat.

 

A ban on khat = raising the cost of chewing khat (monetarily and criminally) = a likely reduction in frequency of chewing and the onset of new chewers = a better outcome for the Somali community

Better outcome how?

 

For the proponents of the khat ban, what is your desired goal. What is it that you expect to see when Khat is gone from scene? How will this positively change the lives of the everyday Somali on the street?

[N.O.R.F]

^^So banning khaat would put Somalis on alcohol?

 

There may an initial response of some Somalis seeking other ways of 'recreational activity' but in the long run a ban would be a good thing.

 

The question should be, as I inclined at the start of this topic, how to get the thing banned rather than just asking for one considering previous attempts have failed.

[underdog]

Somalis are already on alcohol, saaxib, and its not the oldies..its the next generation.

 

 

How is the ban a good thing? you ignored the whole bottom part of my post above.

 

For the proponents of the khat ban, what is your desired goal. What is it that you expect to see when Khat is gone from scene? How will this positively change the lives of the everyday Somali on the street?

[NGONGE]

^^ It will not be banned unless and until its harms are proven to be true. People are throwing around percentages and figures but as you can see, none washes with the powers that be.

 

For the Somali community, a ban would (in the short term) turn many law-abiding citizens into criminals. In addition, since the ban would not come through the collective effort of all the Somalis in the UK and considering that Khat will still be readily available in Africa and other places, the way Somalis view Khat will not change!

 

Ps

Have you noticed how many Somalis travelling from Europe to Somalia (or the other way) have to pass through Dubai? Have you also noticed how many chew in the inbound and outbound journeys but stop when reaching Dubai? Did you know that should one of these people fall ill whilst in Dubai and have to give blood that contains traces of Khat, this person will probably face the prospect of rotting in jail for up to fourteen years! Many do not know this fact. A very large number of those probably tried the thing for the first time (because it's the done thing back home).