A LITTLE KHAT WON'T HURT YOU

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have released their Drug Situation in
Canada report for 2001. In the case of heroin, which is dangerous and
addictive, seizures were down more than half from 2000. But in the case of
marijuana, which is neither, seizures increased.

This means police resources were being wasted at an increased rate too: As
we have argued before, marijuana should be decriminalized. It makes no
sense to lock people up for using a product that is less dangerous than
either tobacco or alcohol.

Marijuana is not the only drug that should be decriminalized. Another is
khat. Never heard of it? Well, it's a bitter evergreen tree, similar in
look and texture to a garden hedge, that grows in parts of East Africa,
Yemen, Afghanistan and Madagascar. In many Third World villages, chewing
khat leaf is the equivalent of social drinking.

The plant is a mild stimulant: Enthusiasts say it helps make people more
friendly and thereby facilitates conversation. Many Canadian immigrants
from Somalia and other khat-growing nations have brought their leaf habit
with them. According to the RCMP, Canada Customs seized nearly 11 tonnes of
khat in 2001, an increase of about 25% from 2000.

Should we be worried about a khat scourge?

Not really.

The RCMP warns that in extreme cases, "compulsive use may result in manic
behaviour with grandiose delusions or in a paranoid type of illness,
sometimes accompanied by hallucinations." Those who have chewed khat can
testify to the approximate truth of this -- it gives users a buzz similar
to that produced by a few drinks, and they're likely to be mildly
embarrassed when recalling things they said under its influence.

People should not be allowed to drive or operate heavy machinery during the
mild narcosis khat produces, but banning it altogether is a perfect example
of impertinent state bossiness.