A group of young Yemenis throng outside a small market around midday to buy bushels of the mild narcotic qat for an afternoon of mastication and relaxation. Mohammed Awadi, 20, spends nearly half his monthly salary to indulge in the long chewing sessions, a centuries-old tradition practiced by both ordinary people and top government officials in the poor Arab state. "Qat is relaxing. It takes me out into space," said Awadi who spends at least 15,000 riyals ($83) every month on the branches of bitter green and reddish-brown leaves. Qat lovers seek what they call "kaif", a state of heightened perception and emotion achieved after hours of chewing.
After taking the plastic-wrapped branches from the market sellers, dressed in the traditional shirt and lungi with the jambiya dagger tied at their waists, the men head out for a hearty lunch to bolster themselves for the chewing sessions. They take place in a small room or diwan, scented with incense and kept warm to enhance the effect of the drug. Often a hookah pipe is placed in the middle for those who want to smoke tobacco too. Lounging on low mattresses with the bags of qat next to them, the men pluck the softest leaves and push them into one cheek, where they are ground into a growing wad the juices from which are absorbed into the bloodstream. Bottles of water are placed on small tables to combat the dehydrating effects of qat, which contains chemicals similar in effect to amphetamines, which raise blood pressure and body temperature as well as releasing adrenaline. Despite bulging cheeks, conversation is lively as jokes are shared and the pile of discarded leaves and twigs grows and adrenaline builds in the first few hours. But when "kaif" arrives, the mood becomes introspective and this is the time to play soft, romantic music. "You ponder life and plan your future and when you wake all you are left with is empty talk," said 21-year-old Fouad, who is studying computer science at an American institute. He chews qat daily and spends 20,000 riyals a month or two-thirds of his allowance on the habit. "It helps me study," he said, as other students at the market nodded in agreement.
The gatherings, at which politics and business are discussed and contacts made, are growing in popularity among young people and women despite official efforts to reduce its consumption. Qat is an expensive habit in a country where, according to a World Bank official, per capital income is $500, the poor account for 42 per cent of the 18.5 million population and unemployment is around 11 per cent. There are concerns that qat is reducing productivity with the vast majority of the workforce retreating for a four-hour qat break in the afternoon. There are also fears that the water-intensive crop is depleting scarce water resources. There have been some efforts to curtail its usage. The state banned qat in government offices, the military and the national airline. In 1999, it was announced that President Ali Abdullah Saleh had given up the habit. But the campaign to wean the population off qat has not been very successful. Not only is it a popular pastime, it is also a very lucrative trade.
Ali Al Jaradi, 43, said he makes between 40,000 and 50,000 riyals a day selling qat. The price ranges between 200 and 1,000 riyals a bundle in Sanaa, depending on the quality of the leaves and on rainfall. Shawqi, a taxi driver, manages to bring in only 30,000 riyals each month by working 12 hours a day. The stimulant is also smuggled across the border into Saudi Arabia, where it is illegal. "Qat is a major problem," said Nadir Mohammed, senior economist at the World Bank office in Sanaa. "It is a water-intensive plant which is depleting water resources and national productivity. They dig 700 metres for wells. They are not prepared to do that for any other crop, but qat pays money," he added. According to government statistics, qat uses up as nearly 80 per cent of the water supply in some parts of the country. Experts say the problem requires a major reduction campaign offering farmers an alternative. |