THE KHAT'S OUT OF THE BAG!

Is felony drug bust just a big overreaction?

To read the criminal complaint against Liban Moalin, you might deem
him a menace to the community, a trafficker in a dangerous drug. To
hear his cousin Guled Mohamed describe it, Moalin is the victim of a
cultural misunderstanding.

Moalin, 37, is charged with felony possession with intent to deliver
after being caught with khat, a plant native to eastern Africa that
contains Cathinone, which the federal government considers a Schedule
1 non-narcotic drug. He faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000
fine. The criminal complaint says compulsive use of this substance
"may result in manic behavior, with grandiose illusions or paranoia."

That's news to Mohamed, a 30-year-old pizza delivery driver. He's a
native of Somalia, where khat (pronounced "cot") leaves have been
chewed for centuries as a stimulant and appetite suppressant.

"Most people, they eat for enjoyment," says Mohamed, who has lived in
the United States for seven years and in Madison for a year and a
half. He doesn't think khat should be lumped in with serious drugs.

"When you use drugs, you can kill yourself or do crazy things," he
says. "But this thing is not like that."

Mohamed chewed khat daily in Somalia and occasionally in the U.S.,
often in social situations. He knew it was illegal in Minnesota,
where he lived several years, but wasn't sure about its status in
Wisconsin. "Some places, they're not going to bother you."

Madison, he knows now, is not one of those places.

Late last month, the local Federal Express office tipped off U.S.
Customs about three packages containing a total of 56 pounds of khat.
Customs contacted the Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force,
which had a detective posing as a Fed Ex employee deliver the
packages - two to Moalin's home in Fitchburg and one to Mohamed's
East Johnson Street residence.

Mohamed's roommate, Cliff Sullivan, wouldn't sign for the package,
which bore a fictitious name. Moalin accepted delivery. Search
warrants were executed on both dwellings. Moalin told police he knew
khat was illegal. He also said each of the three packages was worth
between $10 and $15.

On Feb. 3, the day after Moalin was charged, Ch. 27 aired a story on
this strange new African drug, picturing the East Johnson residence.
Sullivan feels aggrieved: "I don't want people in Madison thinking we
have the next wave of meth or heroin brewing in my house."

Sgt. Gordon Disch of the drug task force says this is the first local
khat bust. He admits he lacks information to gauge its dangerousness:
"I can't and I don't think anyone in our unit can." But the plant is
illegal and "it was brought to our attention for action to be taken."

Nicholas Cozzi, a former Madison resident who holds a Ph.D. in
pharmacology, has studied khat, which is legal in much of Africa and
Europe and was legal in the U.S. until the early 1990s. He says the
effect has been likened to a low-level dose of stimulants. He notes
that while Cathinone is chemically similar to amphetamine, there is
no evidence that khat itself is physically addictive or harmful.

"The plant has little or no potential for misuse," says Cozzi. "I
don't know why it is illegal."

Mohamed, who loves Madison and is seeking citizenship, says he'll not
be using khat in the U.S. again. "I don't want to have a problem," he
says. "I want to live in this country, to live a large life."