It is called by various names; Miraa, Khat, Chat and
Catha edulis (Scientific name).
In South Africa it is known as the Bushman tea. However, Most of us know it by
the name Miraa or kat. I am sure we all know it. Some of us may have chewed it.
I have not chewed it personally although at one time I almost did just to see
how “high” people feel. I am told it is a feeling that you can only know by
experiencing it. That’s how it starts for everyone. You just want to “see”. It
was 2010 while on a field visit to a town in Northern Kenya. Our host had a
Miraa farm and the stuff was readily available. The locals offered us fresh
sticks even when we met on the roads. One day we plucked a full paper bag and
went sight-seeing on the mountains. We were two Kenyans and two British
nationals. Just like me my British colleagues had no prior experience with
chewing miraa. They were eager for the initiation. I could not take more than
one stick while my friends “enjoyed” it. They kept telling me how they felt. Up
to now I can’t tell you how it feels. That is not my point.
Sometimes back, I read in one of the dailies about a research done on the effects of indulging in miraa. The result was that it causes mental instability. Putting it crudely, it causes one to become mad. That wasn’t in any way unexpected. What do you expect of a substance that alters your mind? Long time use of it will definitely alter your mental faculty. I have observed that most if not all the “mad” people I have seen either in Eastleigh or Northern Kenya chew miraa. What I can’t tell is whether they started chewing after becoming mentally unstable or it was one of their habits. The latter seems the most probable.
The economic downside of
consuming miraa is enormous. Like any other drug, a small “mijin” or bundle of
miraa will cost you a leg and a hand. The sellers very well know that you are
an addict and price will not be a factor to consider when buying it. After all
you must have it. That’s why it’s a cash cow for the cultivating communities.
It’s a multi-million dollar industry. The Wajir MPs welcomed the ban while legislators from the Meru region were up in arms protesting the ban. Note that Meru was ranked the the 5th in the recently released economic survey while Wajir was at the tail end. Miraa has played a major role in both their rankings.To have a rational conclusion on the
economic benefits of miraa, one just needs to throw a glance at the effects
it’s having on those who consume. You will find a khat chewing father doing
menial jobs like pushing carts that generates little money. Money that is not
even enough to feed his family for a day. However, the father will spend the
money on his addiction leaving behind a hungry family with no education and no
future. This breeds entire generations of hopeless individuals. All the hard
work and effort of those who consume miraa goes down the drain. It’s not
different from milking a cow on sand. It’s a total waste. The economic ramifications
for the entire society are thus immeasurable.
On the social front miraa
has been fronted as a substance that enhances the social life of an individual.
This is because it is consumed in social settings and the individual becomes
active and talkative when in the act of chewing it. They build castles in the
air. But this is only momentarily and a misguided notion. Miraa chewers have no
respect for others and have no care for their own dignity. It tears a part
their families. Lying becomes their second nature in order to feed their
addiction. They keep fighting everyone when exhibiting withdrawal symptoms.
A summary of other known
effects of khat use as mentioned in psychiatric journals and websites include;
-Depression
-Self-harm and violence
-decreased productivity
-Lack of appetite and
Malnutrition.
-Family and marital problem
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