Prevalence of khat in UK

Khat is an essential part of the cultural and social traditions of people in the Eastern Africa and Yemen. It is also widely used in the UK, especially by the immigrants from Middle East and Africa. But in countries like Yemen and those in Eastern Africa, qat is consumed by people of all backgrounds and professions. For them, qat acts as a stimulant that gives energy and sharpens their thinking. Khat is very frequently used by peasants to increase their stamina with this leafy narcotic. But in the UK, according to a study, around 83% of the surveyed samples were unemployed.

Khat use in UK

People in UK roll up khat leaves into balls and stuff it into the mouth that makes the cheeks bulge out. The qat leaves are kept in the user’s mouth for longer period of time as the active ingredients of khat- cathine and cathinone are released slowly and mixes with the person’s saliva which is then swallowed. Several meeting places in UK known as ‘Mafresh’ have come up all over the country. These are legal meeting places for khat chewing and socializing.

Cost and distribution of khat

Khat bundles come for much cheaper rates per bundle in UK. The price is almost same for a pack of cigarettes but more satisfying for the users. qat is also available on the internet in the country. In UK, qat is not only consumed but also exported.

Prevalence of khat in the UK

Khat usage mostly prevails among the specific East African, Ethnic and Yemeni communities. There are some 90000 Somali people in the country of which around 78% of the people have tested positive and have used qat in their lifetime. About 6% of Somali people in UK use khat on a daily basis. It is also reported that around 76% of the people used khat more frequently in London than they did in Somalia.

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Thanks

E-khat Team