Negative effects of qat threaten next generation of Somalis

By Hassan Muse Hussein in Garowe

October 29, 2012

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Qat use has been increasing among Somali youth in recent years, with over half of those 20 years and younger using the stimulant, according to one study.

  • Women sell bundles of qat at a market in Mogadishu. The thriving qat trade is a permanent fixture in Mogadishu's markets. [Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP]

    Women sell bundles of qat at a market in Mogadishu. The thriving qat trade is a permanent fixture in Mogadishu's markets. [Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP]

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Despite knowing that qat is harmful to their health, Somali youth use it anyway, said Mohamed Abdi Sardeye, a 25-year-old resident of Garowe.

"I have been consuming qat for four years," he told Sabahi. "I started when I graduated from high school. Youth have no jobs to keep them occupied. Only a few work, while the rest hang around the streets. I use it to pass time until I find work."

Timely Integrated Development Services for Somalia (TIDS), a Garowe-based agency that works with youth development and integration, has expressed misgivings about youth addicted to qat.

According to a TIDS study, 55% of young men and women aged 20 years and younger use qat, even as they attend high school.

"When compared to the total number of qat consumers [in Puntland], 80% are young people under the age of 35," said TIDS Director Adur Adan Adur.

In an effort to keep youth off the streets and away from qat, Adur told Sabahi the organisation works with local schools to offer high school graduates paid internships to teach lower grades until they find permanent work. The internship programme is funded with the help of international aid agencies.

Qat use is a losing proposition

With about 70% of the population in Somalia under 30, according to a recent United Nations Development Programme report, the high rate of qat use has some concerned about the future of the next generation.

Mohamed Jama Salad, a Galkayo-based neurologist, said qat use is harmful to a person's health.

"It harms the nerves by forcing them to overload with activity. The person does not sleep or eat, which leads to malnutrition and constant weakness," he told Sabahi, adding that qat is an addictive substance that leads users to dependency.

"It is a losing proposition," Salad said, adding that qat users are unreliable. "Users commit to plans [in the evening] that they are not be able to fulfil come morning. They become isolated from good company and join groups of similar qat users".

Users usually congregate in groups at night and consume the stimulant by chewing on the leaves of the plant until the morning. The doctor said qat causes tooth decay, which can lead to tooth loss. In addition, users under the influence tend to engage in risky or inappropriate social behaviours that place them at higher risk to contract sexually transmitted diseases, he said.

Salad said qat use loosens a person's moral fibre. "When these addicts do not have money to purchase it, they are compelled to rob or steal to procure qat," he said.

"In the past, Garowe used to import about ten 15-kilogramme sacks [of qat], but this figure has increased to more than 100 sacks because of the number of regular users which is rising daily," said Shukri Siyad, a qat trader in Garowe who sells the Kenyan brand known as "Meru".

The selling price continues to increase as well. "In 2005, the price of one bundle was 300,000 Somali shillings ($13), but it is now 600,000 ($26)," Siyad told Sabahi.

Mohamed Abdiwahab Ahmed, director general at the Puntland Ministry of Education, said the ministry is aware of the problem and plans to implement an awareness campaign to curb qat consumption among youth.

"We plan to launch an operation to inform youth about the harmful effects of qat while simultaneously encouraging them to embrace education and emulate the developed world," he told Sabahi.

The plans are still under development, he said, adding that the government hopes to partner with local and international organisations to co-ordinate efforts to address all the underlying causes behind drug use.

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Reader's Comments

  • yasin awale
    April 10, 2013 @ 09:04:42AM

    Kind regards. I like your news and the tireless way you pass it to the society.

  • Saber Masoom
    January 30, 2013 @ 01:38:42PM

    Correct is bad habit and dangereous for health

  • maxamed ibraahin adan {tallman]
    November 28, 2012 @ 09:19:53AM

    It is really worrying for a person to chew grass while knowing its side effects well but the importance is to stop it and sensitize the youth so that they leave it.

  • Ali Yusuf Abdirahman
    November 27, 2012 @ 07:43:45AM

    Peace on you. After greetings, I would like to say those brothers who chew Khat should know that they will also die. secondly, Do you know prophet Adam (Peace be on him) was removed from paradise because of a tree he ate? Now, is this the same tree or another one? Peace on you.

  • abdirahman mustafe
    November 26, 2012 @ 12:43:12PM

    Peace on you. Brothers, I would to participate in this debate about Khat. We only used to see men chew Khat in gone days but we have seen women chew Khat more than men in the recent days. She is a mother who learnt Khat and used the family bill and a girl at the right age for marriage who chews khat. It is worrying. Is there any bigger problem that can cause economic hardship than this?

  • ugbaad dauud cllahi
    November 25, 2012 @ 02:32:24PM

    I am a boy who lives in Hargeisa town and I would like to thank those who organized this program. I am also very sorry about the misfortune that has befallen men, truly Khat is a national disaster to the Somalis wherever they are. It has wasted their time and made them forget everything. It has been said Khat makes people to take everything easy hence makes one forget everything. I pray to God to protect the youth from Khat and show them the straight path.

  • mohamed abdi mohamed
    November 24, 2012 @ 11:28:49PM

    Khat is a bad thing that at the same time affects those who chew particularly the youth who form the majority of the users. I am one of youth from Puntland region particularly from its business headquarters; Bosaso. I would like to urge those who chew Khat to stop it and those don't chew not to start using it because you can indulge in crimes if you are a Khat chewer and you fail to get it. By: Mohamed Abdi Mohamed.

  • faysal arab abdi
    November 22, 2012 @ 12:48:08AM

    It is a saddening and shocking issue and I was chewing for close to 30 years. It has no future but it is a tree that is required.

  • cali ibraahin diiriye
    November 21, 2012 @ 02:26:11PM

    We know that we are slaves and porters to those who grow Khat. It is a 3 sided war; we are being fought mentally and economically. May God help us.

  • xuseen ismaaciil muxumed
    November 21, 2012 @ 03:00:17AM

    Khat is a killer drug chewed by those unlucky (Somali) people.

  • cabdi casiis
    November 19, 2012 @ 03:14:35PM

    I am one of the Somali youth and I would like to thank anyone who has taken part in sensitizing the youth who are the future eyes.

  • maxamed mustafe
    November 18, 2012 @ 09:47:33AM

    In my view, I would like to say Khat has destroyed the students who were learning for the country.

  • cabdifataax baare Guure
    November 18, 2012 @ 12:30:28AM

    This is a very important analysis and it is necessary to tell people the problems of Khat all the time. Thank you.

  • adan dalsan
    November 17, 2012 @ 02:29:21AM

    Khat is a national disaster and it should be banned as the government of Siyad Barre did. The clerics should talk about Khat and I believe it can even be banned from Somaliland today. Both the government and other independent stakeholders should actively participate and have their eyes on the time it is entering the country.

  • gamadiid cali
    November 17, 2012 @ 02:06:28AM

    Peace on you. After greetings, I see this article as something that is important to all Somali people in because khat is the worst among the problems facing the Somalis that make the people fail to do anything constructive. Therefore brothers, I highly welcome and urge everyone to take part in raising the awareness of people against khat. I am able to play this role only through facebook.

  • ismail abdilahi nour
    November 15, 2012 @ 08:31:39PM

    I think Khat was derived from the Somali word 'qaad' meaning erosion because it has eroded the dignity. It has eroded the economy. It has eroded the culture. It has eroded the hygiene. It has eroded respect. It has eroded the faith. It has eroded cleanliness. It has eroded all those things and many other issues, therefore you should protect yourself from Khat so as not to erode all those things that you have.

  • MS IFRAH
    November 14, 2012 @ 02:52:51AM

    Khat has closed all the eyes of the Somali community. We now need to sensitize the people because (It is better to stop the little milk remaining in the can from pouring than struggling to fetch the milk that has already poured from the can).

  • saeed mohamed awed
    November 12, 2012 @ 09:10:18AM

    Khat is forbidden and I would like to urge all the Somalis who chew Khat to stop it.

  • Garaad C/Xakiin Cabdalle Cali (Macsaro)
    November 12, 2012 @ 05:25:27AM

    I am the general leader of the Somali community; Garaad A/Hakiin Abdalle Ali (Ma'saro). It is true that Khat has severely effected all the youth in Somalia in terms of health and wealth. We now a strategy to overcome this problem by sensitizing the youth against khat. Who is required to do the sensitization?

  • MAXAMED CADYID
    November 12, 2012 @ 03:12:13AM

    THE MAN WHO HAS WRITTEN THIS COMMENT HAS WORKED HARD. WE KNOW 'KHAT' HAS MAIMED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOMALI COMMUNITY IN TOTALITY BOTH IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMY OR HEALTH. NOW, WE NEED MORE LECTURES ON THE TOPIC THAN THIS.

  • hirsi ali
    November 11, 2012 @ 10:39:59AM

    that is true and i agree with this article becouse qat is effected our society mostly.

  • safka hilo abd
    November 11, 2012 @ 08:05:58AM

    Khat is not good for health and I urge the Muslims to stop it.

  • axmed saleban abdu
    November 10, 2012 @ 04:06:22AM

    Truly, this is a good editorial showing important decision.

  • jama arab
    November 6, 2012 @ 11:14:06AM

    Thanks to anyone who has taken part in writing about this important topic. It is important to talk about issues affecting our society and this is really a good idea for you to let us know about this topic.

  • mukhtaar abiib
    November 6, 2012 @ 09:21:10AM

    Khat has destroyed a country when it tried to ban and it has no solution to resolve its problems up to now.

  • issamhalwany
    November 3, 2012 @ 11:41:30AM

    Yes I agree with the article concerning the disadvantages of Khat and its health risks

  • Abduljaabar Abdulghani
    November 3, 2012 @ 07:46:21AM

    Thank you very much, may I say a million times for your concern about such a grave practices and negative habit among our community specially the youth which brings more harm and distraction to our people and we lose hard currency on this dirty business of Qat

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