TY - JOUR
T1 - Khat use and related addiction, mental health and physical disorders
T2 - The need to address a growing risk
AU - Odenwald, Michael
AU - Al’Absi, Mustafa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, World Health Organization. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Khat use is a drug problem characteristic of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which is a widespread culturally accepted practice in some countries and is becoming more prevalent in others. Although limited use may not be accompanied by serious consequences, prolonged exposure could lead to dependence, psychosis and other psychiatric disorders and physical conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular complications, sexual dysfunction, hepatoxicity and reduced birth weight of infants born to khat-chewing mothers. The widespread use and its burden on health and economy has raised concerns in the Region, although the extent of the problem is not well assessed. Additionally, most countries do not have a clear policy and plan with regard to khat use, and therefore there is hardly any structured prevention and treatment plan in place to respond to the problem. This review presents a picture of the extent of the problem, elaborates on related existing research initiatives and international treaties, policies and health service provisions, and outlines best policy and programme interventions in khat-use countries.
AB - Khat use is a drug problem characteristic of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which is a widespread culturally accepted practice in some countries and is becoming more prevalent in others. Although limited use may not be accompanied by serious consequences, prolonged exposure could lead to dependence, psychosis and other psychiatric disorders and physical conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular complications, sexual dysfunction, hepatoxicity and reduced birth weight of infants born to khat-chewing mothers. The widespread use and its burden on health and economy has raised concerns in the Region, although the extent of the problem is not well assessed. Additionally, most countries do not have a clear policy and plan with regard to khat use, and therefore there is hardly any structured prevention and treatment plan in place to respond to the problem. This review presents a picture of the extent of the problem, elaborates on related existing research initiatives and international treaties, policies and health service provisions, and outlines best policy and programme interventions in khat-use countries.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85018743861&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85018743861&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.26719/2017.23.3.236
DO - 10.26719/2017.23.3.236
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28493272
AN - SCOPUS:85018743861
SN - 1020-3397
VL - 23
SP - 236
EP - 244
JO - Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal
JF - Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal
IS - 3
ER -