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WAJID, Somalia, Apr 16, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Educated women in Somalia are playing a dominant role in selling khat, a narcotic the World Health Organization has declared highly addictive.
The drug offers one of the few remaining job opportunities in a country ruled by warlords who use the proceeds from the khat trade to buy weapons, The Washington Post reported.
Maryann Ali -- a mother of 10 who was an elementary school teacher before Somalia's government collapsed in 1991 -- told the Post she would quit selling the drug if her country ever returned to normal.
Khat is a narcotic plant that, when chewed, yields a jittery high and feelings of invincibility. When the effects wear off, the user is left in a lethargic stupor.
Researchers say Somalia has the highest percentage of khat users in the world, estimating that more than 75 percent of adult males chew the drug.
While the consumption of alcohol and most drugs is socially unacceptable in Muslim countries like Somalia, chewing khat is considered a gray area.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
