title: Khat: social habit or cultural burden? A survey and review.
abstract: The aim of this article was to investigate the psychological and socioeconomic ramifications of Khat on its users and their communities. A thorough literature review was undertaken and a questionnaire was distributed among a Somali community in South London. From the 62 individuals surveyed, 79% were born in Somalia and 15% in the United Kingdom. Participants were asked to answer specific questions about their Khat use, their attitudes toward Khat use, and its perceived effect on their communities. The harms of Khat use are numerous, although they are not well recognized by its users. Khat's legal status means that it is widely available. Measures to reconsider its legality should be considered given the harm on its users.
authors.affiliation: St. George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, UK. manaf_khatib@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Manaf
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Zakariya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jarrar
authors.forename: Mukhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bizrah
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Checinski
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D029754:Catha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires