Editing Khat (section)

====United Kingdom====
Khat was made illegal in the UK on 24 June 2014.<ref name="legislation">{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1376/introduction/made|title=The Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2014|publisher=legislation.gov.uk|access-date=28 June 2014}}</ref> Concerns had been expressed by commentators, health professionals and community members about the use of khat in the UK, particularly by immigrants from [[Somalia]], [[Yemen]] and [[Ethiopia]].<ref name="Klein">{{Cite book |chapter-url=http://www.radcliffe-oxford.com/books/samplechapter/0932/Chapt5-25459c40rdz.pdf |chapter=Khat and the creation of tradition in the Somali diaspora |first=Axel |last=Klein |pages=51–61 |title=Drugs in Society: European Perspectives |editor1-last=Fountain |editor1-first=Jane |editor2-last=Korf |editor2-first=Dirk J. |year=2007 |location=Oxford |publisher=Radcliffe Publishing |isbn=978-1-84619-093-3 |access-date=21 August 2010 |archive-date=23 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723214932/http://www.radcliffe-oxford.com/books/samplechapter/0932/Chapt5-25459c40rdz.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Warfa">{{Cite journal|title=Khat use and mental illness: A critical review |first1=N. |last1=Warfa |first2=A. |last2=Klein |first3=K. |last3=Bhui |first4=G. |last4=Leavey |first5=T. |last5=Craig |first6=S. |last6=Alfred Stansfeld |journal=Social Science & Medicine |year=2007 |volume=65 |issue=2 |pmid=17544193 |pages=309–18 |doi=10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.04.038}}</ref> Studies of the effects of khat use by immigrants on their mental health suggested that there was a need for better research on khat-chewing and its possible link with psychiatric disorders; it also suggested that public discourse on the issue displayed elements of a [[moral panic]].<ref name=Warfa /> Some Somali community organisations also campaigned for khat to be banned.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2009/0508/p06s04-woeu.html|title=More Somali migrants say Britain should ban khat|first=Aidan|last=Jones|work=[[Christian Science Monitor]]|date=8 May 2009|access-date=7 August 2010}}</ref> As a result of these concerns, the [[Home Office]] commissioned successive research studies to look into the matter, and in 2005, presented the question of khat's legal status before the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. The study concluded that most of the participants who were using khat were using it moderately in terms of both the quantity used and the frequency and duration of chewing sessions, and that khat use was typically a social activity. Only a small minority of the study participants' khat use was judged to be excessive.<ref name="Home Office khat study">{{Cite web|url=http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr4705.pdf|title=Khat use among Somalis in four English cities|first1=Shilpa L.|last1=Patel|first2=Sam|last2=Wright|first3=Alex|last3=Gammampila|publisher=[[Home Office]]|work=Online Report 47/05|year=2005|access-date=7 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705045707/http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr4705.pdf|archive-date=5 July 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> After a careful review of the evidence, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended in January 2006 that the status of khat as a legal substance should remain for the time being.<ref name=Klein/>

In 2008, [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician [[Sayeeda Warsi]] stated that a future Conservative government would ban khat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jun/15/drugspolicy.somalia |title=Conservatives will ban khat |first=Sayeeda |last=Warsi |work=Comment is free |publisher=The Guardian |date=15 June 2008 |access-date=21 August 2010 |location=London}}</ref> The website of the Conservative Party, which in 2010 became the larger party in a [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|UK coalition government]], previously stated that a Conservative government would "Tackle unacceptable cultural practices by", amongst other measures, "classifying Khat".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Community_Relations.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429143306/http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Community_Relations.aspx |archive-date=29 April 2010 |title=Where we stand: Community relations |publisher=Conservative Party |website=Conservatives.com |access-date=21 August 2010}}</ref> In 2009, the Home Office commissioned two new studies in the effects of khat use and in June 2010, a Home Office spokesperson stated: "The Government is committed to addressing any form of substance misuse and will keep the issue of khat use under close scrutiny".<ref name="Sky">{{Cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/The-Legal-Drug-Khat-Is-Causing-Social-Problems-Among-The-East-African-Community-In-The-UK/Article/201006315650862?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_2&lid=ARTICLE_15650862_The_Legal_Drug_Khat_Is_Causing_Social_Problems_Among_The_East_African_Community_In_The_UK |title=Call for new controls on legal drug khat |newspaper=Sky News |date=19 June 2010 |access-date=2 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603192103/http://news.sky.com/story/786736/call-for-new-controls-on-legal-drug-khat |archive-date= 2014-06-03 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During a parliamentary debate on the legality issue on 11 January 2012, [[Mark Lancaster, Baron Lancaster of Kimbolton|Mark Lancaster]], the Conservative Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes, stated that the importation of Khat into the UK stands at 10 tonnes every week.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120111/debtext/120111-0004.htm#12011187000608 |title=Hansard 11 Jan 2012 |publisher=Hansard |date=11 January 2012 |access-date=12 January 2012 |archive-date=22 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022020214/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120111/debtext/120111-0004.htm#12011187000608 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 23 January 2013, the [[Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs]] (ACMD) said there was "insufficient evidence" that khat caused health problems. The ACMD said there was "no evidence" khat was directly linked with serious or organised crime, and was chewed to obtain a "mild stimulant effect much less potent than stimulant drugs, such as amphetamine".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/144120/report-2013.pdf |title=Khat: A review of its potential harms to the individual and communities in the UK |publisher=Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs |date=23 January 2013}}</ref>

On 3 July 2013, the [[British Home Secretary]] [[Theresa May]] announced that khat was to be banned in Britain, designating it a Class C substance under the [[Misuse of Drugs Act 1971]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/khat |title=Written statement to Parliament: Khat |publisher=HM Government |date=3 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23163017 |title=Herbal stimulant khat to be banned |newspaper=BBC News |date=3 July 2013}}</ref>

Alex Miller, a journalist from the Montreal, Canada-based magazine and television channel [[Vice (magazine)|Vice]], looked into the use of the substance and the potential impact of the ban for BBC nightly current affairs programme Newsnight<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25854577 |title=Khat: What impact will UK herb stimulant ban have? |work=BBC News |access-date=24 January 2014}}</ref> and for a Vice documentary.<ref name="youtube">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JntqpqDTvjs | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/JntqpqDTvjs| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title= Khat Power: The Latest War On Drugs | date=24 January 2014|via=Youtube.com |access-date=24 January 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Kenyan MPs appealed to the UK not to "condemn people" by banning the herbal stimulant khat<ref name="bbc3">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25120302|title=Kenya appeals to UK not to ban khat|publisher=bbc.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2014|work=BBC News|date=27 November 2013}}</ref>

In March 2014, the United Kingdom House of Commons' Home Affairs Select Committee announced that it would continue to lobby for the UK government not to go through with its intended ban on khat. The committee had shortly before also completed an inquiry and a report recommending that the British authorities refrain from banning the plant.<ref name="Sultpflbomr">{{cite news|title=UK legislators to press for lifting ban on Miraa Read|url=http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/thecounties/article/2000106268/uk-legislators-to-press-for-lifting-ban-on-miraa|access-date=17 March 2014|newspaper=Standard Digital|date=7 March 2014}}</ref>

On 12 May 2014, the House of Lords passed a Motion to Approve the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Designation)(Amendment) (No. 2)(England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1376/contents/made|title=The Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2014|work=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> in order to control ''Catha edulis'' as a Class C drug. An amendment was proposed stating that, "this House regrets that Her Majesty's Government's plans for the introduction of the Order do not include provisions for a 12-month review of the impact of the reclassification of khat in view of the highly unusual community focus of its use, for putting a detailed policing strategy in place before a ban takes effect, or for a health strategy to prevent a transfer of addiction to other substances; and do not commit the Department for International Development to do more work with the government of Kenya to alleviate the effect of the reclassification on the Kenyan economy." However, the amendment was defeated by vote.<ref name="theyworkforyou">{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2014-05-12a.1701.3|title=Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2014 – Motion to Approve: 12 May 2014: House of Lords debates |publisher=theyworkforyou.com|access-date=31 May 2014}}</ref> The prohibition came into effect on 24 June 2014.<ref name=Cdkwbatsk>{{cite news|title=Denied: Kenya won't be allowed to sell khat in the UK|url=http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/No-Miraa-Sale/-/1840340/2347566/-/3spgkvz/-/index.html|access-date=21 June 2014|agency=The Citizen|date=13 June 2014|archive-date=15 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615053901/http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/No-Miraa-Sale/-/1840340/2347566/-/3spgkvz/-/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2015, the ''[[Bristol Post]]'' reported that most khat houses in the city had closed down, "forcing users to take the drug in their homes instead". The local police had initially not sought to enforce the ban, giving users a grace period, but according to the ''Bristol Post'' had recently started to take action against khat use and had issued three warnings and a [[Police caution|caution]]. Additionally, in September 2014 the police had seized 24 bags of dried khat from a property in [[Easton, Bristol|Easton]], but no arrests were made. Additionally, the Somali Resource Centre indicated that the ban seemed to have been effective, and that the prohibition had all but destroyed the import market since the plant has to be fresh in order to be consumed.<ref name="Kibbdsh">{{cite news|title=Khat in Bristol: Banned drug's still here – it's just moved underground|url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Khat-Bristol-Banned-drug-s-ndash-s-just-moved/story-25815789-detail/story.html|access-date=20 February 2015|work=Bristol Post|date=10 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220230137/http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Khat-Bristol-Banned-drug-s-ndash-s-just-moved/story-25815789-detail/story.html|archive-date=20 February 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> A consultation with Somalis in [[Glasgow]] undertaken by the national voluntary organisation Fast Forward at the request of the Somali Association in Glasgow in October 2014 suggested that khat continues to be used in both fresh and dried forms by some Somalis in the city, and that the ban has also led some users to seek out other substances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastforward.org.uk/documents/Somali%20Community%20Consultation%20Report.pdf|title=Consultation on khat use within Glasgow's Somali community|publisher=Fast Forward|date=19 January 2015|access-date=24 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624155833/http://www.fastforward.org.uk/documents/Somali%20Community%20Consultation%20Report.pdf|archive-date=24 June 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The ban has reportedly served to increase the price of khat in the UK. [[Channel 4 News]] reported in September 2014 that before the ban, 20 tonnes of khat arrived at [[Heathrow Airport]] daily, and it would sell for £3 per bundle. After the ban, it was reportedly selling at £30 per bundle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/khat-amphetamine-east-africa-outlawed-illegal-drug-video|title=Joining the police crack-down on banned drug khat|publisher=Channel 4 News|date=27 September 2014|access-date=24 June 2015}}</ref>