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WHAT HARM? WHAT HARM?
Ugandan Ugandan khatkhatconsumers' views of a consumers' views of a
stimulant drugstimulant drugSusan Susan BeckerlegBeckerlegCultures of ConsumptionCultures of ConsumptionESRCESRC
CathaCatha edulisedulis
((KhatKhat, , qatqat, , miraamiraa, , murungimurungi, , gombagomba, chat), chat)
Main active ingredients:Main active ingredients:CathineCathineCathinoneCathinone
EffectsEffects
??Stimulant (coffee, amphetamine, coca)Stimulant (coffee, amphetamine, coca)??EuphoriaEuphoria??ReflectionReflection??Mild depressionMild depression??SleeplessnessSleeplessness??Loss of appetiteLoss of appetite??Sexual desireSexual desire?? Impotency/greater potencyImpotency/greater potency??Dependency/addiction?Dependency/addiction?
Advisory Council on Misuse Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugsof Drugs-- assessment of riskassessment of risk
??Legal status in UK unchanged.Legal status in UK unchanged.??Some adverse physical symptoms (oral Some adverse physical symptoms (oral
cancer risk)cancer risk)??Not a causal factor in psychosis (despite Not a causal factor in psychosis (despite
case evidence)case evidence)??No link to acquisitive crime No link to acquisitive crime –– no gateway no gateway
to other drugsto other drugs
Health effectsHealth effects
??Increased heart rateIncreased heart rate??GastroGastro--intestinal problemsintestinal problems??Tooth decayTooth decay??PsychosisPsychosis??ImpotencyImpotency??Lowered fertilityLowered fertility??STIsSTIs and HIVand HIV
social and economic social and economic effectseffects
Ugandan leaders and some consumers:Ugandan leaders and some consumers:
??ImpoverishmentImpoverishment??CrimeCrime??AlcoholismAlcoholism??Family breakdownFamily breakdown
KhatKhat and Islamand Islam
??Yemen: status within Islam disputed by some Yemen: status within Islam disputed by some scholars. scholars. ??Ethiopia: associated with ritual religious use Ethiopia: associated with ritual religious use
and Muslims in generaland Muslims in general??Kenya: Main producers are not Muslim. Many Kenya: Main producers are not Muslim. Many
Islamic scholars say it is ‘Islamic scholars say it is ‘makrumakru’ or even ’ or even haramharam??Uganda: production associated with Muslims; Uganda: production associated with Muslims;
consumers across all religious and ethnic consumers across all religious and ethnic groupsgroups
KhatKhat production in production in UgandaUganda??From the early 20From the early 20thth century, Yemeni and century, Yemeni and
Somali settlers in Uganda showed local people Somali settlers in Uganda showed local people wild wild khatkhat trees and encouraged them to trees and encouraged them to harvest and cultivate harvest and cultivate khatkhat. .
??Production spread in the 1970s to most parts Production spread in the 1970s to most parts of the country, notably:of the country, notably:??MbaleMbale, , MabiraMabira Forest, Forest, MorotoMoroto District, around District, around
Kampala, Fort PortalKampala, Fort Portal
HirihiriHirihiri from Eastern from Eastern UgandaUganda
KaramajongKaramajong HirihiriHirihiritraderstraders
Trading Trading namalunamalu khatkhat fresh fresh from the mountainfrom the mountain
Uganda Uganda KhatKhat ConsumptionConsumption
??Formerly associated with ‘respectable Formerly associated with ‘respectable business men’.business men’.??Now associated with (male) youth Now associated with (male) youth
frequenting video shows.frequenting video shows.??Few social rituals developed.Few social rituals developed.??Many Many khatkhat users use alcohol after users use alcohol after
chewing.chewing.
Social and legal status of Social and legal status of khatkhat in Ugandain Uganda??In 1989In 1989--1990, shortly after 1990, shortly after MuseveniMuseveni
came to power a lobby group requested came to power a lobby group requested that that khatkhat be kept legal.be kept legal.??‘Low class people and drivers’ ‘Low class people and drivers’ ??Law has been drawn up banning Law has been drawn up banning khatkhat, ,
but not yet passed.but not yet passed.??Currently legal, but harassment of traders Currently legal, but harassment of traders
in some towns.in some towns.
Uganda ‘harm reduction’ Uganda ‘harm reduction’ approachesapproaches?? KisoroKisoro: sale of : sale of khatkhat prohibited after 9pm.prohibited after 9pm.
?? KabaleKabale: arrest of the main : arrest of the main khatkhat trader.trader.
?? SorotiSoroti: Town council looked at legal position, but could : Town council looked at legal position, but could find nothing to justify limiting find nothing to justify limiting khatkhat sales.sales.
?? JinjaJinja: Trade regulated by sellers self: Trade regulated by sellers self--help group. Sales help group. Sales pitches negotiated with Municipal authorities.pitches negotiated with Municipal authorities.
Survey of 300 Survey of 300 khatkhatconsumersconsumers??166 from Kampala; 134 from the West166 from Kampala; 134 from the West
??52% Muslim; 43% Christian52% Muslim; 43% Christian
??75% men; 25% women75% men; 25% women
??50% aged 1850% aged 18--29; 50% aged 3029; 50% aged 30--50 years50 years
Occupation of Occupation of respondentsrespondents??Hawker Hawker 20%20%??Transport workerTransport worker 16%16%??Trade/craft/repairTrade/craft/repair 11%11%??RetailerRetailer 11%11%??None/unemployedNone/unemployed 6%6%??DriverDriver 6%6%??TeacherTeacher 5%5%??FarmerFarmer 4%4%??HousewifeHousewife 2%2%
Frequency of khat chewing in the last week as reported by residence
Kampala West
place of interview
0
50
100
150
200
Co
un
t
chewing per weekonce or twice a weekthree to six times a weekdaily
Amount spent on khat on day of interview according to area of residence
0 500100012001500170018002000250030003500400045005000600070008000950010000
How much spend on Khat?
0
20
40
60
80
Co
un
t
place of interviewKampalaWest
Source: Uganda khat consumers survey, October-December 2004
Amount spent on khat on day of interview by gender
0 3005006007001000150016002000250027002800300035004000450050006000700075008000950010000200002500040000
How much spend on extras?
0
20
40
60
80
Cou
nt
sexmalefemale
Source: Uganda khat consumers survey, October-December 2004
Responses to statement that khat is bad for health, by gender.
disagree agree uncertain
Khat is bad for health
0
25
50
75
100
125
Co
un
t
sexmalefemale
Source: Uganda khat consumers survey, October-December 2004
Responses to the statement ‘khat disrupts family life’, by gender
disagree agree uncertain
Khat disrupts family life
0
50
100
150
200
Co
un
t
sexmalefemale
Responses to the statement ‘ khat lowers work productivity’, by gender
disagree agree uncertain
Khat lowers work productivity
0
30
60
90
120
150
Co
un
t
sexmalefemale
Responses to statement that khat is should be banned, by gender.
disagree agree uncertain
Khat should be banned
0
50
100
150
200
250
Co
un
t
sexmalefemale
Harmful, but not greatly!Harmful, but not greatly!
??Some physical dependency in heavy, long term Some physical dependency in heavy, long term users.users.??Can cause economic hardship.Can cause economic hardship.?? ‘Scapegoat’ blamed as cause of social ills, ‘Scapegoat’ blamed as cause of social ills,
underunder--development and even war.development and even war.??Other drugs used (cigarettes, alcohol, Other drugs used (cigarettes, alcohol, ValiumValium) )
used in conjunction with used in conjunction with khatkhat increase harm to increase harm to health greatlyhealth greatly??Unlikely that Unlikely that khatkhat use alone contributes to use alone contributes to
crime. crime.
