This documentary short examines the Khat trade from Meru Kenya to London England, briefly exploring the economics, culture and politics of the drug, which has been made notorious in America by Somali gangs. The oddest thing about this drug is that it is chewed raw and not heavily processed like cocaine.
Khat, known as mirra, is a fresh young leafy shoot taken from the top branches of old large East African trees. It is not a weed like new world stimulants. The reporter questions various sources concerning the charges that Khat funds Islamist terrorism, destroys families, and is the enemy of civilization.
Vice is a pro drug channel, so there is that bias. However, the reporter seems to be slightly left of center—with a decidedly libertarian viewpoint—on the issue, not a pro-drug advocate. He is, of course shown chewing the stuff, so perhaps Hillary needs to put a video game jockey at the Pentagon on his tail with a purpose-made drone devoted to his extinction.
Khat has been outlawed in the U.S. for 20 years and this kid was watching a U.S. bound shipment being loaded. The context of the film is the pending ban of the substance in the U.K. It looks like a lot of truckers and packers are going to be put out of work. I doubt though, that the users are going to go without their green chew.
It smells like another victory for organized crime.
