Arabia Felix

Although coffee began its journey around the world from the Arabian Peninsula, Yemeni people have a different addiction to caffeine. They chew khat. Or qat. Either way pronounced ciát.

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Khat is a plant, whose leaves have an anorectic effect, causing loss of appetite, excitement and euphoria. It's not clear if the consumption affects the mental health: psychotic episodes can happen, but its consumption creates an uplifted mood and a sense of release.
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In 1980, the World Health Organisation classified the plant as a drug of abuse that can produce moderate dependence, although not seriously addictive. But Yemenis DO consume a lot of it.
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Khat is so popular in Yemen that its cultivation drains much of the country's agricultural resources. An estimated 40% of Yemen's water supply goes towards irrigating it, with production increasing by about 10% every year. One "daily bag" of khat requires an estimated 500 litres of water.
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Researchers estimate about 75% of Yemenis between 16 and 50 years old chew khat daily (women 'only' in 35% of the cases), spending 17% of their income on khat. It'd be like a European wasting 300+ euros in cigarettes monthly, except when you live in extreme poverty every cent count.
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What is even more astonishing, is the amount of time they invest in the practice. Yemenis spend an estimated 14.6 million man-hours per day chewing khat. The carry the above mentioned bag everywhere, throw away the stems (again, literally everywhere) take a few leaves out and stuff their mouth with it. They chew nonstop until they produce a juice which has that the stimulating, relaxing and anorectic effect. Then spit a bit out and stuff their mouth with more khat. It goes on the whole day.
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This guy I bumped into in Sana'a old town had so much khat in his left cheek you could see his vein. And his eyes spoke about the effect too.

Con l'augurio che nel 2010 non si ritrovi una democrazia esportata a colpi di bombe all'uranio impoverito, ecco le foto scattate ad inizio dicembre. Yemen 2009 Altri aggiornamenti post Yemen: WMNA - Episode 16 DarioTube - Allah Superstar Il Compagno di Viaggio