Drug could cause anti-social behaviour in Slough

Page last updated at 12:54 GMT, Wednesday, 29 September 2010 13:54 UK

A drug which is sold legally in Britain is causing problems for Somali families in Slough, according to a voluntary group in Berkshire.

Khat is a plant which can be chewed and is used as a stimulant by people living in Yemen and Somalia.

The Slough Somali Women's Organisation says the drug is to blame a range of problems such as truancy and anti-social behaviour in young people.

The drug is banned across America and most of Europe but legal in Britain.

Family breakdowns

Faisal Aashour is part of the Somali community in Slough and works for Berkshire Education and Sports Centre - a voluntary organisation set up by Somalis.

He said that Khat use was causing a "family breakdowns" in Slough.

"Young people overdo it," he said.

"It's a highly addictive drug used in Somalia and Yemen. Its stimulant properties are similar to but less powerful than amphetamine.

"There's a lot of Somalis who chew it in Slough."


Khat is sold openly on the streets in places like Yemen
Slough's Local Involvement Network (LINk) is now working with Daryeel, the Somali Women's Organisation, to try and warn about the dangers of the drug.

LINk has compiled a report which it plans to send to government and health bodies to spread greater awareness of khat use use.

John Kelly from Slough LINk's development office said the drug contained two worrying stimulants, cathine and cathinone, also present in the now banned drug mephedrone.

Recreational drug

"They are associated with some mental health problems if chewed in excess, and also with things like insomnia, irregular heartbeat and with this substance being chewed there are risks with public health, spitting and so on," he said.

"What we've been trying to do is spread awareness through the Somali community in Slough. It can be quite a marginalised community.

"This is mainly chewed as a recreational drug in Africa, and the problem here is with high levels of unemployment and young people getting hold of this drug and going over the top."

Sarah Graham, an expert in addiction from drugs information service Frank said that the drug contained similar chemicals to mephedrone, commonly known as meow meow, which was recently banned.

She said: "When mephedrone got banned I suspected that people would start using other substances to fill that gap. It wouldn't suprise me at all if khat becomes a drug that comes into young people's focus.

"It can create paranoia, irritability, you have a come-down and you might want to take some more."