Source: Novum
January 18, 2008
The use and sale of khat, a plant with stimulating properties, will not be forbidden, wrote Health Minister Ab Klink (CDA, Christian party) in a statement to the second parliamentary chamber. The substance was not included in the Opiumlaw.
The Minister states that use is ‘limited to a relatively small, mostly Somalian part of the population, and health risks to users are limited. “There have only been accidental reports of nuisance on a local level and there’s no involvement of organised crime.” Klink also thinks a ban will lead to ‘criminalising the trade and stigmatising the Somalian users’.
Municipalities that suffer nuisance already have enough legal means to challenge any problems, for example by using General Local Ordinances. Municipalities also seem the best level to educate and inform citizens on khat culture.
Khat is used by chewing the leaf. Jellinek, an institution voor addiction care and prevention, says addiction risks are only small because the chewing prevents that users ingest large amounts of the psychoactive ingredient. Khat has been banned in France and Sweden. Apart from the Netherlands the leaves are permitted in the U.K. and Israël.
KHAT WILL NOT BE PROHIBITED IN THE NETHERLANDS
I am not somali but my husband is. He chews every night, comes home in the morning, sleeps all day, does not work… and does not care about my feelings because, of course, everything is cool to him, when he chews. I have always been hoping that when he gets a daytime job, he will stop chewing but I was wrong. He had 2 jobs which did not last long. He could not wake up in the morning when he chewed at night. He used to come late to work or he called them that he was not feeling well. Just because of khat. We have three little children and right now I am struggling to believe and hope that he will change. I tried to talk to him so many times… But he does not understand, or he does not want to understand… or he simply does not care. Because khat is the most important to him. I am thinking of divorce, but what will be with our children? How will it affect them? They love him no matter what… but I dont know how much more I can take… I feel jealous when I see other men looking after their children and helping their wives on a daily basis. I feel jealous when I see men coming from work in the evening and going straight home spending the night peacefully asleep in the circle of their families. Is it too much that I want?
KHAT WILL NOT BE PROHIBITED IN THE NETHERLANDS
I am not a marriage counsellor, but I don’t think your husband’s problem is Khat. If it wasn’t for Khat, there would be some other substance or behaviour to hide behind. As a drug user I too had quite a few ‘sabbatical’ years, but in the end I did find a balance. There are lots of drug users who manage a daytime job and drug use in the evening at home. Don’t feel too jealous about those other model-men. What you see is only part of the story. If you feel he has to stop chewing, for you to be happy, you might consider the divorce option.