Home | Submit News | Forum | Contact

The East African (Nairobi). Britain is considering join-ing the United States, Sweden, Canada and Norway in banning the chewing of khat (miraa) in the country.

Large quantities of khat are imported into the UK from Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen every month and a ban could have a considerable effect on this industry. The ban is being considered following a study that showed that half the large Somali community in the UK want the drug banned.


There is a good profit in selling khat in the UK with leaves being sold at around $6.8 for a 250 gramme bunch in supermarkets in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Sheffield, where most of the East African and Middle Eastern communities that use the drug live. The latest study follows medical research conducted last year, which found that continual use can cause heart problems and mental illness in users.

Researchers from King's College in London found that khat contains cathedulines - chemicals that make the brain release dopamine, which produces feelings of satisfaction and pleasure.

But Prof Peter Houghton, who led the research, told the British media that research had also found that regular users "have quite a lot of psychological problems."

There are also scientific concerns that chewing khat may cause bladder problems. It is also said to cause sleeplessness, loss of appetite and an urge to chew it again. Prof Houghton said that the effects on the heart and the bladder can be explained by what is known about the pharmacological properties of some of the chemicals present in khat. The chemicals act a little like adrenaline, which can make the heart work harder than it actually needs to.

He is, however against banning the plant as "this would probably cause more problems by driving it onto the blackmarket. Instead, people should be educated about the dangers of chewing khat."



Source:The East African (Nairobi)