Pubdate: Wed, 22 Feb 2012
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html
Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Jeff Davis, Postmedia News 

BUSTS ON THE RISE FOR EUPHORIA-INDUCING KHAT

Drug Favoured by Some of Canada's African Migrants

Canadian border authorities seize millions of dollars worth of an
addictive drug known as khat at airports each year, but police
services say the market is limited for a niche drug that isn't
commonly available on the street.

Most Canadians go their whole lives without hearing about the narcotic
leaf, but within Canada's African community there are many devotees of
this ancient plant.

Khat has been chewed in the Horn of Africa and the lands surrounding
the Red Sea for thousands of years. Known to induce euphoria and a
feeling of wakefulness in users, it is deeply ingrained in the
cultures of Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Kenya and Uganda.

Though it is legal in many African countries, in Canada khat is
classified as a schedule four drug, which is the lowest classification
category for illegal drugs. Cocaine and heroin are schedule one, for
example, while cannabis is schedule two.

Jerry Jesso is chief of intelligence for the Canadian Border Services
Agency and oversees drug interdiction programs at ports of entry
across Canada. Whereas 15 years ago there was no khat smuggling to
speak of in Canada, these days it's a different story.

"We seize khat probably two to three times per day, on average," he
said.

The active ingredients in khat, whose scientific name is Catha edulis,
are cathinone and cathine. These are naturally occurring amphetamines,
and the World Health Organization says there are no medical uses for
khat.

A major producer of the world's khat is Kenya, where the plant's
production is the basis for a vibrant export economy. Unlike other
generally dry places near the Horn of Africa, the fertile volcanic
soils of Mount Kenya receive enough rain to produce bumper crops year
round.

Every day, small planes stuffed with freshly cut khat from Kenya's
Meru county fly directly to the United Kingdom, where tens of
thousands of eager addicts are itching for their daily fix.

"It's legal in the U.K.," Jesso said. "They'll ship it there, then
break down shipment before reshipping it on to Canada."

For khat smugglers, speed is the name of the game. After only five
days, the narcotic potency of khat dissipates, meaning any delay in
shipping puts the profits of exporters and importers in jeopardy.

"They'll cut it, wrap it in banana leaf and wet it to try to keep it
cool and maintain its freshness," Jesso said. "But within 72 hours
that stuff gets real nasty, as it breaks down and starts to rot."

A bundle of khat - a daily dose for an addict, but enough for a number
of casual users - can be bought for a few dollars in Africa. By the
time it gets to Canada, however, the retail price goes as high as $70
or $80.

Due to the volume that must be chewed to get high, Jesso said, khat is
among the cheapest drugs out there on a per-gram basis. For this
reason, smugglers have to move large quantities to turn a profit.

"Twenty kilograms is worth less than $10,000," he said. "To make it
worth their while, they have to move large quantities of it."

Smugglers use couriers to take large suitcases packed with khat into
Canada.

"The couriers can be anything from Canadian citizens to duped visitors
who think it's legal to do what they're doing," he said. "In a lot of
cases, it's U.K. nationals coming over."

Many of these smugglers are caught by sniffer dogs and sent home after
a month in jail.

A CBSA spokesman, Luc Labelle, said khat worth $55 million has been
seized in the past five years.

"What we intercept does impact the supply on the street level," Jesso
said. "And when we can impact the price of drugs on the street, we're
doing a good job."

Labelle said khat is most common in cities, particularly those with
immigrant populations from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea and Uganda.

"In Canada, areas with a large population from these countries, such
as the Greater Toronto Area, tend to see higher usages," he said.

Classified by WHO as a "drug of abuse," khat is highly addictive, and
many hardcore users chew most of their waking hours. A stimulant, it
disrupts regular sleeping patterns, keeping chewers up all night,
sometimes for days at a time. The acidic leaves, furthermore, are
corrosive and long-term use results in rotten teeth and infected gums.
Lethargy and loss of appetite are also common side-effects, as is
damage to the digestive tract.

But perhaps most disturbing is the khat's effects on the male
reproductive system. Although new users may experience a rise in
sexual desire and performance, long-term use is known to cause severe
erectile dysfunction.

The market for the drug in Canada is limited, said RCMP spokesman Sgt.
Greg Cox.

"There is a small market for khat - primarily users are African
nationals," he wrote in an e-mail. "The shelf life for this product is
quite limited and there is low value associated with it."

RCMP couldn't provide information about the number of busts they made
on khat smugglers or users, or what if any steps are being taken
against the leaf.

Debbie Bang, an addictions expert in Hamilton, Ont., said khat is
unique because there is only a very specific slice of the population
that uses it.

"The bottom line is this is not a huge issue for the general
population," she said.

Bang said that within marginalized communities, such as those that use
khat, unconventional policing methods are often more effective. The
affected population knows much more about the cultural context in
which khat is used, she said, and could provide valuable advice on how
to treat addicts.

"If this is a substance that's revered in its cultural context, you
have to work with those that understand it and use it to know what the
best approach would be," she said.

"They'll probably need to see some leadership from the Somali group,
that would raise this and bring it forward." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.