Chew Miraa at your own Peril.

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.

Miraa has been in the news of late after it was banned in some European countries for its adverse effects. It was classified as a harmful drug. This caused uproar among the cultivating communities in Kenya. It was argued that Miraa is the economic lifeline of these communities and therefore should not be banned. I kept asking what about the communities that its consumption is destroying. I believe the flipside is dire. The Somali community and Muslims at large are the biggest consumers of miraa. The reason advanced for this is that Muslims cannot touch other forms of hardcore drugs and alcohol due to religious prohibition. They resort to miraa since its effects are milder. At one time I was horrified to read a book titled “Leaf of Allah: Khat & Agricultural Transformation in Harerge, Ethiopia”. Seems blasphemous, right? The book dwells extensively on how some people were using the stimulant to stay awake for worship. Just in the aftermath of the Westgate attack, the daily nation ran an article titled “Why the youths of Majengo cannot chew their miraa in peace”. This was because of police swoops at night. The effects of miraa may be milder on the body in the short run but it’s social, economical and health implications do not pale compared to other drugs.
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