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May urged to scrap khat ban

An influential group of MPs urged the Home Secretary to stop plans to criminalise the herb khat, favoured by the Somali and Yemeni communities. The mild stimulant, which causes a feeling of euphoria similar to coffee, will become a Class C drug.

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Khat ban prevents UK becoming 'hub for criminals'

The ban on khat will bring Britain up to speed with the rest of the Europe and prevent the UK from becoming "a regional hub for criminals", according to the Home Office.

Despite recommendations from experts that khat should remain in the public domain, the Home Office decided a ban would be in the best interests of the public.

Banning khat in the UK will protect the public from risks associated with its misuse.

It will also prevent Britain from becoming a single, regional hub for criminals trying to make a profit as countries across Europe have implemented the same ban.

– A Home Office spokeswoman

Khat ban 'extremely worrying' and defies experts

Plans to ban chewable herb khat are "extremely worrying", as they fly directly in the face of expert recommendations, according to one Labour MP.

Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home Affairs select committee said he did not want to see the UK become, "a hub for the distribution of illegal khat" once the ban was in place.

It is extremely worrying that such an important decision has not been taken on the basis of evidence or consultation.

The expert Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs conducted a thorough review of the evidence and concluded that no social or medical harm resulted from the use of khat. We support the Advisory Council's findings.

The UK should not become a hub for the distribution of illegal khat. It is wrong to place legal importers in the impossible position of choosing between a life of potential hardship or one of crime.

– Home Affairs committee chairman Keith Vaz

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Khat does not warrant ban, say MPs

The Home Secretary has come under fire for plans to ban khat, a chewable stimulant favoured by the Somali and Yemeni communities, from an influential group of MPs.

A man chews khat in the Somalian capital, Mogadishu. Credit: Reuters

Theresa May was warned by the Home Affairs select committee that she was at risk of throwing young men into the path of Al Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab.

Chaired by Keith Vaz, who has himself admitted to chewing khat, it said the decision was not based on evidence of medical or social harm, and instead has recommended a licensing scheme for importers of the plant.

The Home Secretary's decision to control the plant under the Misuse of Drugs Act came after the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs concluded it should not be banned.

Around 2,560 tonnes of khat, which makes its users feel more alert, happy and talkative when chewed, worth £13.8 million was imported to the UK in 2011/12, bringing in £2.8 million of tax revenues.

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