Khat Decision Odd

It seems insane to me that the Drug Enforcement Administration would make a
nearly harmless drug like khat illegal in the same class as cocaine or
heroin. From the effects as described in Todd Bensman's June 27 article, it
sounds barely more psychoactive than caffeine or nicotine. If khat is so
bad, why doesn't the DEA make those drugs illegal? But the purpose of a
bureaucracy is to increase its own power and prestige, and this
rescheduling of khat is an easy way to do that. Too many of their own
number smoke tobacco, drink coffee and imbibe alcohol, so it's no good
making those drugs illegal. Much better to ban something that few Americans
use, and most of those being from Africa, who will care deprives them of a
harmless pleasure?

Dale Greer, Dallas