Yemen

[Page 867]The Republic of Yemen remains a yet to be developed nation of 23 million citizens (mainly Islamic Sunni and Sh'ia religious groups). Located on the lowest end of the Arabian Peninsula, it borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the east and the waters of the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. The land mass is about 205,000 square miles (similar in size to California). There are four drug issues in Yemen: (1) the khat shrub (Catha edulis Forsk) contains the powerful psychostimulant drugs cathinone and cathine; (2) the dire lack of water resources, much of which are heavily exploited for irrigation for growing khat; (3) the ineffective economic, political, and medical efforts to curtail khat growth and use; and (4) Yemeni emigrants living worldwide tend to promote khat use.

Yemen has high unemployment (40 percent, yet ample money is made in selling khat), high government corruption, food shortages, a lack of medical personnel, khat-related diseases, a rapidly increasing population, and a poor economy. Little oil has been found (estimates suggest reserves will be depleted in 2017) and Yemen may face severe economic collapse in a few years. Economic problems are compounded by the approximately 91,000 Somali refugees now in Yemen, many of whom are also users of khat.

It is estimated that Yemeni families spend 17 percent of their monthly income to pay for khat use. The core of Yemen's problems are due to the growing and persistent use of khat. What is most noteworthy is that intoxicating substances that “subtly divide one's spirit” are forbidden on religious grounds (haraam) by the Holy Qur'an. Yet, in Yemen and Somalia, haraam does not apply to traditional khat use as it does in other Islamic countries.

The effects of khat were first described in 1237 by the Persian physician al-Samarqandi. Khat-related effects include an elevated mood lasting 90 minutes to three hours (via acting upon brain neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin), euphoria, talkativeness, mania, increased heart rate and blood pressure, anorexia, constipation, dilated pupils, and mild to moderate addiction. Negative and withdrawal effects include mild depression, irritability or lethargy, hallucinations/psychosis as well as tremors. Chemically, physiologically, and behaviorally, the effects of khat are extremely similar to those of amphetamine.

The most important direct consequence to Yemen is that 40 percent of all available water (including water from wells) in Yemen is being used or diverted to the irrigation/growth of khat shrubs. Such water depletion is unsustainable and represents a major contributor to food shortages, malnutrition, and [Page 868]contact with waterborne/vector diseases (bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, schistosomiasis, typhoid fever, dengue fever and malaria). Khat-related diseases include hypertension; cardiovascular and renal failure; diabetes; mouth, throat, and stomach cancer; and pesticide intoxication. To date, there is no national anti-khat strategy and the establishment of such an effective policy is key to the future prosperity of Yemen.

A Yemeni farm featuring a field of khat shrubs. Growing khat uses as much as 40 percent of the country's available water.

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in drug trafficking to the United States. Because khat contains cathinone (Schedule I) and cathine (Schedule IV), it is illegal there and in many European countries. The United Kingdom is a notable exception as khat remains legal there; about 7,000 kilograms of khat arrive in Heathrow Airport per week for distribution to Europe and the United States. Khat use in America is likely to increase (in 2006 and 2008, about 33,000 and 75,000 kilograms were seized, respectively).

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