Yemen has been in the news lately, so here’s a clip showing the widespread use of Khat in Yemen. Khat is a plant used as a stimulant which has become part of the Yemeni culture. It’s a drug that takes up alot of land, water, and human resources. The WHO has described Khat as a drug of abuse.
The drug takes over peoples’ lives; 90% of men chew khat and up to 50% of women chew in less public displays. The drug is said to increase alertness, decrease appetite, and cause euphoria.
When I was in Ethiopia last summer, I was offered this stuff left, right, and center. Here’s an old article which demonstrates the khat dilemma in Ethiopia: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2203489.stm
Along with the lingering al-Qaeda presence, Khat has become a symbol of all that ails this poor nation with one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.
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