BY KAREN BRADLEY
LATER this month, khat will be banned in the UK. As a Class C drug, it will be illegal to supply, possess or import khat.
This was a finely balanced decision and not one we took lightly. It followed an extensive consultation and careful consideration of a range of views.
Many British Somalis were especially vocal in sharing their concerns about the health and social damage they believed were caused by khat such as family breakdown, low attainment and users feeling cut off from society.
They share our view that the control of khat can deliver real and positive changes on family life, community cohesion, health and economic outcomes and can promote integration.
It may surprise you that natural ingredients found in khat – cathine and cathinone – are already banned in the UK and abroad. This is because they are harmful.
Most other EU member states and G8 countries, including Canada and the USA, have banned khat.
Without robust government intervention to tackle this issue the UK will be at serious risk of becoming a single, regional hub for the smuggling of khat to countries which have banned it to protect their own citizens from harm.
While taking all of these concerns into account, we were also determined to make sure we didn’t use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
That is why we are introducing a system like the one used for cannabis possession for personal use.
The policing response will be proportionate and users and their families will be given the opportunity to engage with local support services to get the help they need.
There is no doubt that drug misuse has a serious impact on society and the ban on khat, which comes into force on 24 June, will protect some of the most vulnerable people living in UK communities.
It will also prevent us from becoming a hub for criminals trying to make a profit by smuggling khat to countries where it is already illegal.
Karen Bradley is Minister for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime at the Home Office
