I understand that most of the taxi-drivers in Minneapolis are Somali Muslims.
Makes getting anywhere from the airport a tad difficult.
If anyone doen't think this is simply a power play, raise your hand.
"I understand that most of the taxi-drivers in Minneapolis are Somali Muslims."
"Khat
For centuries, khat, (pronounced COT), scientifically known as Catha Edulis, is known by over 40 different street names including, kat, qat, chat, gat, tohai, tschat, and mirraa. Khat is a 6-12-foot flowering evergreen shrub or small tree native to East Africa and Southern Arabia. The fresh young leaves of the Catha Edulis shrub, has been consumed where the plant is cultivated, primarily in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula. There, chewing khat predates the use of coffee and is used in a similar social context.
Chewed in moderation, khat alleviates fatigue and reduces appetite. Compulsive use may result in manic behavior with grandiose delusions or in a paranoid type of illness, sometimes accompanied by hallucinations.
Khat has been brought into the U.S. and other countries for use by emigrants from the source countries. It contains a number of chemicals among which are two controlled substances, cathinone (Schedule I) and cathine (Schedule IV). As the leaves mature or dry, cathinone is converted to cathine which significantly reduces its stimulatory properties. Cathinone is approximately 10 more times more potent than cathine and is only present in fresh leaves.
Cathine, the secondary active ingredient in Khat, does not lose much of its potency with age as with cathinone. Leaves less than 48 hours old are preferred to ensure a maximum potency of cathinone. However, Khat can be preserved by freezing, the same way that vegetables and meats are kept fresh in the United States."
Aint diversity grand?
http://www.somalifamily.org/links.htm#khat
Khat/Qat
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/khat.html#i
This website created for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) consists of basic information about Khat.
History of Khat at USDEA
This drug intelligence brief by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) (see preceding site) contains information regarding the history of Khat, its international trafficking, cultivation and more.
University of Pennsylvania
This site, created for the University of Pennsylvania, includes information regarding the trafficking of Khat, dependency, treatment, and more.
Khat Control at USDEA
This Drug Enforcement Agency Diversion control program page provides information about the control status of Khat.
UN Office on Drugs and Crimes
The UN Office on Drugs and Crimes is a good place to start to find information relating to attempts by international organizations to confront the traffic of Khat.
But alcohol is BAD.
I finally found it:
What are some consequences of Khat use? v
Common side effects include anorexia, tahycardia, hypertension, insomnia, and gastric disorders.
Chronic Khat abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence, and suicidal depression.
Widespread frequent use of Khat impacts productivity because it tends to reduce worker motivation.
Khat can induce manic behaviors, hyperactivity, and hallucinations.vi
There are reports of Khat-induced psychosis.vii
This may explain the violent and suicidal tendencies. Or not.