Pubdate: Mon, 23 Jun 2014
Source: Evening Standard (London, UK)
Copyright: 2014 Associated Newspapers Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.standard.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/914
Author: Martin Bentham
Page: 25
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/khat

MET URGES KHAT USERS TO QUIT AHEAD OF BAN

SOMALI khat traders in London were today urged to switch to running 
cafes and driving taxis in a bid by Met officers to avoid arrrests 
when a new ban on the drug comes into effect tomorrow.

Detectives said they want to avoid "criminalising the community" when 
khat - a herbal stimulant popular in the Horn of Africa - becomes a 
class C substance. The change follows a decision by Home Secretary 
Theresa May to ban the drug, which has been outlawed in other 
European countries, to avoid Britain becoming a trade hub for a 
substance that is illegal elsewhere.

The decision was also prompted by concerns about the drug's role in 
fuelling domestic violence and its potential impact on mental health.

The Met will use a "three strikes" policy under which those caught 
with khat will be given a warning for a first offence and a UKP60 
fine for a second breach, before arrest and prosecution for a third. 
Detective Superintendent Simon Rose said the force, which has been 
touring affected communities ahead of the ban, hopes to persuade 
traders and users to abandon the drug.

He said that those running khat-chewing houses - known as mafreshis - 
were being encouraged to turn their businesses into cafes and that 
alternatives such as taxi driving were being suggested to those 
transporting the drug. He also said users were being directed towards 
drug and alcohol services to help wean them off khat.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom