BAN KHAT NOW!!!

[-Lily-]

For those who realize Khat is a serious problem that will not be tackled by a ban, are you guys suggesting another Somali community organisation that will 'help' Khat users? It all sounds well in theory but who exactly will be helping to educate these addicts on the vices of khat use? What Somali man will go to a 'Khat help centre'? Not to mention to get an addict willing in the first place, Somali men are too proud lets not forget that.

[NGONGE]

^^^

It is not a case of setting up any organisation or attempting to help and educate. Khat, for better or worse, is an integral part of Somali society. Other than amongst gossiping women, angry students or Internet Forums, Khat seems to be welcomed and accepted by all.

 

If you have a wedding, half the guests will expect you to provide them with free Khat. In fact, some daring souls even expect you to provide the free Khat in funerals too! For many, it has become as socially accepted as Tea or Coffee.

 

We can ask for it to be banned, and that will probably mean many new chewers will not have any access to it. However, it is unlikely to change the way people view it.

 

Of course, there are many people that despise Khat and regard those that chew it as socially inferior. However, for most Somalis, it is such uptight people who are regarded as social outsiders.

 

Countless numbers of those that used to frequent the various mafrashes in the UK have now given up chewing. For the most part, the reason that got them to ditch the habit was religious. I am not talking about Haram or Halal here but rather, about the practicalities of worship when one is a Khat addict. These people found it difficult to stick to strict prayer times when they were chewing. They wanted to mix with likeminded people and avoid socialising with scallywags, criminals or people with no morals (Khat after all does not discriminate; the doctor chews it and the burglar does too).

 

The example above shows that a change of attitude and social norms does help to eradicate certain problems within society. Now the Mullah community (pardon the label) can boast of hardly having any Khat addicts.

 

I don't think a ban alone is enough. Drink driving has been banned over twenty years ago in the UK, yet people still do it (not as regularly as they did in the past). However, the message (for most) has been received loud and clear. Don't drink and drive.

 

Twenty years ago, smoking around young children was no big deal and as of yet it has not been banned. Yet rarely do you see anyone smoking when young children are about. In fact, not even (most of) the biggest Khat addicts would smoke around a child. It is just not the done thing.

 

You want Khat to lose its appeal amongst Somalis? Make it 'not the done thing'.

 

An example that involves Khat can be found in the Yamani community. With them, chewing is not considered a great social harm. But, amongst the elite chewers, sitting and chewing Khat beyond Magrib prayer is a sign of inferior upbringing. Hence, even the lowborn avoid doing it (in their attempt to keep up with the Jones's, as it were).

 

It's all about what is deemed acceptable by the society as a whole and what is not. A man that marries a khat-chewing woman will cause eyebrows to be raised (it's not the done thing). A woman that marries a Khat chewing man will not (it is no big deal).

 

Ps

I didn't comment on it earlier because I seriously do not believe it to be one of the biggest social ills in our society.

 

 

باشل حبك معي بالقيه زادي

ومرافقي في السفر

 

وباتلذذ بذكرك في بلادي

في مقيلي والسمر

[-Lily-]

Originally posted by NGONGE:

However, for most Somalis, it is such uptight people who are regarded as social outsiders.

LoL.

 

Stigmatising khat amongst Somalis, what a Herculean task that would be.

 

Perhaps women can play a role here. I know a lot of young women who would never consider marrying a man who chews grass, ewww! I mean, how barbaric …

[NGONGE]

^^ They just say that. But I bet most of them would marry an infrequent chewer.

[-Lily-]

Thats where the whole problem starts, casual chewing.

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

I have heard a lot of suggestions from both sides of the argument, many of which are very well expressed. But what do we do now? Do we sweep it under yet another thread or do we do something tangible. Let’s organise ourselves and mobilise and lobby those who wield power. It won’t be easy but one of the reasons why I am very excited about the regulation of Khat is that, myself and few friends triggered the 2005 Home Office investigation in Khat. I made a call to the BBC, upon which they contacted me and sent a reporter. Myself and the reporter discussed the impacts of Khat and how it has destroyed the Somali community. About a week later, the reporter when to Kings College Guys Hospital to get the analysis of a sample Khat I bought for the analysis. The Prof of Pharmacology made an intensive analysis and then wrote a report to the Home Office. Despite our best efforts, having seen the analysis Home Office didn’t do anything due to greater forces at play, namely the Kenyan and Ethiopian Governments having a vested interest in this matter as Khat is one of their biggest exports.

 

MARC

[Paragon]

What worries more than banning qaad, is this socially pervasive self-role assignment that grips the minds of naive many; to mold and shape the image of the Somali community as per dictated by the 'favourable model' of social organization.

 

Without subtle state coercion and conciliatory steps, what gives out the impression that 'directives' can be implemented to effect substantive and positive change?

 

Two things can be erected in a juxiposition here; detriment (and eventual death) through drug use or death through clan use, and I wonder which of the two prompts urgent action. One death is the result of 'choice' while the other is the result of 'force'. Why should we prioritize one above the other?

 

We are not a nanny-state people, and we are only accountable to the management of our lives and no-one else's. So the question you should be asking yourselves is this: does qaad directly affect you? If not then you are poking your nose in things that are none of your business. However, if it directly affects you directly, then heck do what needs doing to correct your faulty choices.

 

Personally, I am done nanying. If people choose to chew or slaughter themselves, then, I will have for them readily sharpened knives, so that they can get over with it. It’s about choice and nothing more. The only time I will oppose something is when it is based on force. Force I cannot withstand.

 

PS: None of us was assigned to the role of the social vanguard. If you are in the belief you are one by nature, you are wasting valuable time. Do something personally satisfying with it, such as playing Russian roulette or a Mexican stand-off with your friends.

[Blessed]

^Well done! You deserve a cup of this, Isseh.

[Paragon]

^^Lol. Thanks dear. A gulp or two would have nourished me .

[Baashi]

My man Marc ignore the naysayers. You are doing a fine job. Concerned people like you, folks who care about the well being of their community have always been in forefront of the movements that brought about social changes. Awoowe do your thing. Target the dealers and wheelers of the trade. It won''t be easy. Gather enough data that show how public treasure is wasted on the side effect of this drug. Join up with Ikhwaans.

 

They share with your view on this drug and have the grass root organization that can help you in bringing awareness of the negative aspects of this drug -- which outweighs any percieved positive aspects associated with chewing the damn thing -- to the public, media, etc. They do care and will take it to another level if you cover the procedural side of things as far as lobbying is concerned.

 

Apathy, inaction, selfishness, or indifference is not something one would want to preach. Khat is a drug. It is wreaking havoc in Somali community. It has contributed to the rise of dysfunctional families, single mothers, addiction, and what have you. In the states it costs about $50 bucks per killo and folks who chew are overwhelmingly blue color who make less than $350 bucks -- do the math. Terrible addiction.

 

I advice you to make a distinction, in your campaign against this drug, between users and dealers. Hit the dealer (make the trade a felony offence) and you would have taken care of the user side of equation without ruining their criminal record.

 

Again wonderful activism. Go for it buddy.

[underdog]

Originally posted by Baashi:

In the states it costs about $50 bucks per killo and folks who chew are overwhelmingly blue color who make less than $350 bucks -- do the math. Terrible addiction.

 

... Hit the dealer (make the trade a felony offence) and you would have taken care of the user side of equation without ruining their criminal record.

Ummm, it already is a Felony to have Khat in the US...which is why it is $50 a kilo. Same thing in Canada where is $60-$80 a kilo. and like you said, broke people are still buying it. Not much of a solution.

[Nehanda]

By the way, in Somali is it pronounced qad or chad?

 

Also am i going bonkers or is Somaliaonline promoting the use of khat. I mean it clearly states on the forum page something about purchasing the seeds click here etc.

[Baashi]

Underdog,

It is not readily available anymore in the states and the dealers have to take a suicidal risk to smuggle the damn thing. The average user have to hussle to get it. Ya know the waiting time is over eight weeks. The quality of the thing has been reduced to almost sticks.

 

The khat eaters have been in decline pricesely because of the ban. Ther are hardly new users acquiring the taste. And the hard core folks are bleeding from where it matters the most -- bank account.

 

It has worked. Hardcore addicted chewing sticks and paying a fortune working overtime in driving cab is what it came down to. There is the window of opportunity that exist where chewers can do the math and look themselves in the face and ask questions -- why hassle this much?. And that is the waiting period which they are sober. Awoowe it is all good.

 

Khat addicts are what you referring to. Nothing short of rehab will deliver the result you are shooting for.

[Abu-Salman]

Why do we always justify the unjustifiable as a society?

 

Is there the slightest doubt on whether getting Khat banned should be one of our priorities, just like mitigating clannishness?

 

As a matter of fact, I found that these two core evils are intertwined in our context.

 

Is it not everyone's main requirement to fulfill obligatory acts of worship with Salat toping the list, while protecting his mind and thus allowing it to focus on the Fards with Khushu' (concentration, manners ect), hence why every form of Drug is prohibited and Khat has naturally been declared Haram long time ago by leading scholars (some Khat's effects are even much worse than alcohol)?

 

Is there now a debate on whether Khat should be classified as a Drug (behavior altering substance that induce craving), which is already the case in many countries?

 

Of course, there are many other reasons why Khat is utterly undesirable Islamically, whether as direct or indirect consequences.

 

As for those quite "liberals", "moral relativists" , they need to be reminded of their Islamic obligation to encourage "Khayr" and discourage "Munkar"; in other words, we are all accountable for our society, naturally to the extent of our ability (the very, very least being to disapprove evil from within his heart!).

 

Again, anyone interested could consult the many publications on this topic and should take an informed position before commenting on anything.

 

Khat being a Public Health concern is only too obvious, but reasons for this range from linked psychological disorders (Somalis are major mental health' services users, so disproportionally represented in psychiatric internment wards!) to cardiovascular, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, epidemics such as TB, etc (not mentioning its unhealthy paranoia-triggering effects in clan-based Mafrishs).

 

For one, Statistics are hardly an infallibly objective tool, especially nowadays when everyone manipulate it or find what he already wanted to "prove", though the fact that cancerigen chemicals are liberally used to grow Khat hardly needs statistics, and given that the precaution principle is paramount.

 

Indeed, no amount of scientific data will fully unravel all the Khat's damages or those of the involved pesticides and we are already too polluted with so many interacting products!.

 

But what statistics does one needs anyway when Khat directly encourages every type of risky behavior such as inactivity, high level of sugar consumption (Somali tea), passive smoking in confined space, the associated malnutrition (tea, along other caffeine-based drinks such as coffee or Coca-Cola, act as a diuretic which literally drain much needed vitamins and oligo-elements out of the body, already rares in our typical diet) in a appetite-reduced Khat addict?

 

Moreover, Khat is not only an existential Health & socio-economical threat, prime cause of the alarming rate of divorces, especially for the Somalis, but it also serves strategically the economies of both our British-sponsored direst enemies, conjointly conniving since decades ago alongside the former colonists to keep us mired into artificially sustained endless mutual mistrust & anarchy (hence making us accomplice in the occupation and genocide in Somali Galbeed, marginalization of Somalis in "Kenya" where even national medias vilipend them when they are victims of large-scale , organized governmental atrocities such as those in the eighties!).

 

There you go: an Ethical, Health, Socio-economical Disaster, a Drug that encourages more and more farmers to switch from other crops in a region where Food Security is already compromised by deliberate political oppression, already banned by every other concerned State without ulterior motives, an historically very recent, most unfortunate addition to the Somali culture yet painted as "central" etc

 

 

Should we then really debate on whether to ban it or not?

 

 

 

 

 

The Khat Nexus: Transnational consumption in a global economy

[-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 ).

 

For example, even though the smoking ban hasnt completely banned smoking, there have been almost 4 times as many people wanting to quit since. This is because of

1) Negative press surrounding smoking as a habit

2) Support being available for those wanting to quit

3) The inconvenience of not being able to smoke in thier favourite places - pubs, stations waiting for trains etc.

Click here

 

If the same strategy is followed with khat, regulating it, providing support for those with addiction and eventually banning it, I dont see any reason why it shouldn't work... atleast for the majority of people.

 

Khat cheweing isnt just an occasional social thing in our community where men indulge when they are happy or just to have a sit-down, its a serious addiction and creates so many social problems (mention not required, I hope). Its the main reason, why are society is so lazy and unproductive compared to other communities.

 

While I understand all that hu-ha about choice, when something become a national problem and the norm, where even children are subjected, then it becomes the responsibility of the government.