Norway: Study on khat abuse

In a study on khat abuse among Somalis in Norway, two organizations have now found out why Somalis chew khat at all. The have found ten reasons.

The Landsforbundet Mot Stoffmisbruk (National association against drug abuse) and Minoritetsinformasjon (minority information) have prepared the study together with support from the "Health and Rehabilitation" organization.

The report point to factors such as idleness, khat as culture, group pressure, need for support, frustration caused by integration problems, flirting between chewers and non-chewers, divorce and separation, khat availability, transmission between generations, and a lack of organizing and cooperation between those who wish to fight against khat.

Among the most important finds is that the informants think that more women than men now chew khat in Norway.

Hassan Ali Omar, who works for both organizations, says that now the organizations know more about why Somalis in Norway start chewing khat and would be able to prepare appropriate information campaigns. Among the measure are campaigns among Norwegian Somalis to spread information about Norwegian leisure time clubs, education institutions and employment.

Source: VG (Norwegian)

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