Qat

Drug Nation: Yemen's Qat Addiction

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• published: 14 Jan 2008
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A Nation on Drugs: Qat is a tradition in Yemen, but is it exerting too much control over Yemenis' lives? 24 October 2000 Al Saqqaf, a newspaper publisher, is one of the loudest critics of the drug that has become a Yemeni national obsession. Al Saqqaf, a newspaper publisher, is one of the loudest critics of the drug that has become a Yemeni national obsession. To an outsider it's a grotesque sight. Here, almost every visible face carries the characteristic bulge, the bloated cheek full of green leaves betraying the qat habit. Ninety percent of the men follow this regime daily. Fifty percent of the women chew it in less public displays. The drug increases the pulse and blood pressure, keeps you awake and "stimulates the mind". Yemeni intellectuals have been chewing qat for six hundred years. But many fear that qat has taken such a hold on the country that it's ruining the economy, making people lazy and giving Yemen a bad reputation. Fruit plantations are being ripped up to feed the habit. A fascinating look at a hidden culture suddenly in the spotlight. ABC Australia - Ref. 858 Journeyman Pictures is your independent source for the world's most powerful films, exploring the burning issues of today. We represent stories from the world's top producers, with brand new content coming in all the time. On our channel you'll find outstanding and controversial journalism covering any global subject you can imagine wanting to know about.