Qat: The Addiction
Menal Elmaliki / Arab America Contributing Writer
How an addiction is plaguing the country of Yemen
By: Menal Elmaliki / Arab America Contributing Writer
Abdullah, a Yemeni business shopkeeper, sets out after sunrise to begin his daily ritual of work, life, and the upkeep of the family. In the souq, he sits from sunrise until sunset, selling and socializing. By mid-day he is feeling slightly tired, the day has been long and work is tedious. He takes refugee in the shade, sheltering himself from the torridness of the hot afternoon sun. He converses with his friends, they socialize and they all share their woes over qat.
For Abdullah business has been rather slow and he and his wife are expecting their 6th child. He chews on qat, a glossy greenish-looking herb. Sweat is beating down his skin, fueling his agitation and he grimaces tightly as he continues stuffing his mouth with this leafy substance.
Across the city, at Sanaa University students chew qat before their exam. This herbal stimulant is said to calm their nervousness before their big exam. Qat is a vital part of Yemeni culture and it’s usually chewed at social gatherings. This everyday custom has now turned into an addiction.
What is Qat?
Qat is considered to be a herbal stimulant. It is a tree crop that can reach the length of 25 meters or 80 feet. Qat is a tolerable crop and can grow in any condition. Since it grows slowly, it’s only harvested a few times per year. Its stems are usually reddish in color and the leaf is thin and oval-shaped. Fresh qat leaves are green, green-brown, and glossy. They bear the resemblance to basil leaves or marijuana. Qat also has a strong fragrance that is described as overwhelmingly sweet.
The History of Qat
Qat is an evergreen shrubbery that is commonly grown in East Africa, and Southwest Arabia. According to some historical evidence, it was believed that qat was first used in the 13th century Abyssinia, modern-day Ethiopia. While other historical evidence suggests that it dates back to ancient Greece, where Alexander the Great’s army had used it as medicine in preventing plague. It was presumed to prevent epidemics. Qat was introduced to Yemen in the 15th century and was cultivated way before the cultivation of coffee. Now Yemen is the leading country for qat growth and cultivation.
Qat & Yemen
Qat has become an increasing problem because it creates a culture of idleness. From morning till night, many Yemeni men would lounge around with it in their mouths. Nowadays the drug is done to dim the background noise of everyday life. It leads to various illnesses and is the cause of many ecological problems. Though this drug is a cultural tradition, it has created a cycle of poverty.
You know the image, a drug addict’s desperation for a hit, and in the case of qat, many Yemeni men would rather spend their money feeding their addiction than providing for their own families.
The Drug
The most intriguing aspect about qat is the way it is consumed. It releases higher and stronger dosages of euphoria when it’s chewed fresh. As the leaf gets old the cathinone degrades, meaning there is less of an effect. The drug is primarily known for its cathinone and cathine effects. It is similar to amphetamine but it only produces a mild form of euphoria. It causes a mild case of hyperactivity, caffeine-like effects of alertness and arousal. It also causes high elation, social ability, confidence, and it increases energy. But like all drugs, these high elevations are short-lived by anorexia, irritability, depression, and insomnia. And like caffeine, it has you feeling even more tired after the high. The effects of it are activated after an hour of chewing which creates this big cheek effect. It is typically chewed for 4-5 hours and when chewed longer the effects are more potent. A common practice is for Yemenis to soak the fresh leaves in soda because of their bitter taste. Some even soak it in salted water. Another method is using its dried leaves to make tea.
Why Qat is a concern?
Water Waste
Yemen is a very arid country, with Sanaa receiving about an estimate of 20 cm of rainfall per year. Yemen has been suffering from shortages of water. Qat has drained the country of its necessity because it uses 50% more water than grain crops. Many wells are drilled without permission to irrigate qat crops. In Sanaa, the capital city, it is estimated that four thousand wells have been drilled. This “excessive” plumbing is decreasing the water level. Qat hectares have increased by 80,000 from 1997 to 250,000 by 2012. Water is becoming very scarce and many qat farmers are in fear of losing their crops and their only source of livelihood. In their desperation, they have resorted to pumping water out from underground aquifers. The problem is that farmers are using water from these underground aquifers that have been filled “over thousands of years by the occasional rainfall that seeps through the soil and rock.”
Health Concerns
Qat is causing not only ecological concerns but also health. According to the World Health Organization, there is simultaneous evidence that proves qat leads to heart failure. It increases blood pressure and heart rate. It can also increase the risk for the acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and even ischemia. Besides problems related to cardiovascular, it can lead to tooth decay, hallucinations, and depression. The rise of its usage has also led to cancer. It is “responsible for 70% of new cancer cases.” The toxic chemicals in qat crops are the lead factor for cancer. A study has shown that 100 pesticides were used in its cultivation. These health findings had prompted many countries to ban the drug. It is considered an illegal drug in many countries, like Saudi Arabia and America.
The Cost of Addiction
Yemen seems to be chewing itself to death. A social drug has now become an unbearable, overwhelming addiction. Since the war, many Yemenis are replacing fruit trees with these narcotic leaves. Most have become addicted to qat. To many in these stressful times of war, many have succumbed to the sensation of these bitter-sweet-smelling leaves. Many have lost their jobs and are victims of unemployment and poverty. This has caused many unhappy Yemenis to smoke up to 8 hours a day, all for the intent of bringing comfort at times at unease, especially with the heavy traditional responsibility of providing for the entire family.
Many farmers have replaced their traditional farms with qat farms because it earns 3x the profit. Since qat is a cash crop, it has replaced fruit and coffee trees, as well as wheat and maize. They struggle to feed themselves and their family which pressures them to join the qat frenzy.
The children of Yemen are also addicted to qat. It is estimated that 15-20% of children under the age of 12 consume the drug daily. How can Yemen expect progression when the future has succumbed to this drug addiction.
A once innocent social activity has turned addiction into war. It seems that Yemen is living on borrowed time, can Yemen preserve its ancient, archaic beauty, and invest in its future?
References
Mounassar, Hammoud. Qat Habit Drains Yemen’s Precious Groundwater. Middle East Eye, 12 Feb. 2015, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/qat-habit-drains-yemens-precious-groundwater.
McGrath, Cam. “A Nation Chewing Itself to Death.” Inter Press Service, 7 Feb. 2014, https://www.ipsnews.net/2014/01/nation-chewing-death/.
Al-Sakkaf, Nasser. “War in Yemen: How Drugs Have Become Big Business.” Middle East Eye, 28 Mar. 2017, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-yemen-how-drugs-have-become-big-business.
Khat Drug Profile, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/khat_en.
M.A. Zahran, A. Khedr, A. Dahmash, Y.A. El-Ameir. Qat farms in Yemen: Ecology, dangerous impacts, and future promise. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. Volume 1, Issue 1. 2014, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2314808X13000031
El-Menyar, Ayman et al. “Khat use: history and heart failure.” Oman medical journal vol. 30,2 (2015): 77-82. doi:10.5001/omj.2015.18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4412450/
“Khat.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/plant/khat-plant.
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