First hemp, now khat

[shesulsa]

When federal drug enforcement agents announced last summer that they had arrested scores of suspects in an “international narcotics-trafficking organization” with operations in New York and Seattle, they hailed it as the first major crackdown on khat — a plant grown in the Horn of Africa and chewed like tobacco for its stimulant buzz.

But more than nine months later, prosecutors in Seattle have dismissed charges against all but a handful of defendants, and the few expected to go to trial next month are considered to have a good chance of avoiding jail. The New York case, meantime, is teetering on a fine legal argument over whether khat is a powerful illicit stimulant or something more akin to a double espresso.

<snip>

&#8216;An extremely expensive fight&#8217;
&#8220;There&#8217;s no question that it is an extremely expensive fight,&#8221; said Eric Sterling, president of the nonprofit Criminal Justice Policy Foundation. &#8220;My understanding of the use of khat is that it should be a very low priority for federal law enforcement. &#8230; I think these cases are largely a waste of very precious federal criminal justice resources.&#8221;

FULL ARTICLE

Cracking down on a drug that has the stimulant effect of a double espresso? Watch out all you Venti Quad drinkers!!

Thoughts on this?

 

[CoryKS]

Dang, there goes my plan to get hopped up on some weird African plant. Guess it's back to Starbucks.

 

[terryl965]

Dang, there goes my plan to get hopped up on some weird African plant. Guess it's back to Starbucks.

me too

 

[Lisa]

Just don't take away my Timmy's cause if you do I will have to hurt someone....

 

[Touch Of Death]

Dang, there goes my plan to get hopped up on some weird African plant. Guess it's back to Starbucks.

Isn't Arabica some weird African plant?
Sean:caffeine:

 

[Steel Tiger]

I suppose that we could do one of two things. Make all 'recreational' drugs (including alcohol, caffeine and tobacco) illegal or make them all legal. Either way it would be very interesting to see the results.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I suppose that we could do one of two things. Make all 'recreational' drugs (including alcohol, caffeine and tobacco) illegal or make them all legal. Either way it would be very interesting to see the results.

Blasphemer!:soapbox:

 

[HKphooey]

Khat is much more powerful than a double epresso. It is a type of antphetamine. Somali fighters are usually hopped up on this drug. Gives them the feeling they are unbeatable. Young children are hooked on this drug and fight for the warlords who give it to them.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Khat is much more powerful than a double epresso. It is a type of antphetamine. Somali fighters are usually hopped up on this drug. Gives them the feeling they are unbeatable. Young children are hooked on this drug and fight for the warlords who give it to them.

So that would is essence push it up into the same territory as coca and cocaine it would seem.

 

[HKphooey]

More info on Khat....
http://www.streetdrugs.org/khat.htm

 

[tellner]

Let's leave aside the "drug-crazed Negroes with guns" hyperbole. It was old back when it was Zoot Suit Negro Jazz musicians hopped up on "Mary Jane" the Killer Weed Marihuana. It's a stimulant, but not that strong. It has psychoactive effects and is addictive. A lot of people in Yemen and Somalia don't do a lot except sit around and chew qat.

But it's nowhere near the same league as amphetamines, cocaine or alcohol.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Dang, there goes my plan to get hopped up on some weird African plant. Guess it's back to Starbucks.

So youre getting hopped up on some weird Columbian plant?

 

[jks9199]

Khat is much more powerful than a double epresso. It is a type of antphetamine. Somali fighters are usually hopped up on this drug. Gives them the feeling they are unbeatable. Young children are hooked on this drug and fight for the warlords who give it to them.

I'd phrase it "khat CAN be much more powerful"; the stimulant in it loses potency rapidly at room temperature. (We've been advised to put any seized on ice, and immediately deliver it to the lab, waiting for a lab tech to arrive if it's overnight.)

 

[bushidomartialarts]

But can you make paper, clothing and macrame out of khat? Inquiring hippies want to know.....

 

[CoryKS]

Isn't Arabica some weird African plant?
Sean:caffeine:

Nope. Coffee beans are angels' teardrops.

 

[bydand]

Nope. Coffee beans are angels' teardrops.

Are you sure? Have you checked the color lately? :idunno: Just a simple observation.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Are you sure? Have you checked the color lately? :idunno: Just a simple observation.

Since when did you become an expert on the colour of angel tears, HMMMMM?
Sean

 

[JBrainard]

FULL ARTICLE

Cracking down on a drug that has the stimulant effect of a double espresso? Watch out all you Venti Quad drinkers!!

Thoughts on this?

Thoughts? Um... Stupid?
I can go down to my local 7-11 type store and buy a couple of "Yellowjacket" pills and be flying high as a kite.
I could rant on and on about how the DEA makes no sense and actually causes a lot of law abiding citizens a lot of pain, but I don't want to derail the thread.

 

[Darksoul]

-As long as I can still have my RockStar energy drinks...yummy buzz of carbonated insanity...and the Rockstar with Guava...hmmmmmmm...I guess not knowing too much about Khat limits my response. Could it be made legal or whatever is small doses, or less potent? Do we need it at all? Can it be used like marihuana? I don't smoke but I understand that the hemp plant could be useful. Perhaps khat?

A--->

 

[Lisa]

Nope. Coffee beans are angels' teardrops.

YES! YES! YES! AMEN! They SO are!