§ 12. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if qat is now freely imported and sold in Aden Colony and Protectorates; whether any official investigation has been held into the alleged deleterious effect of this drug; and whether the desirability or otherwise of restricting the consumption of qat has ever been debated by the Colony Legislative Council.
§ Mr. MaudlingThere has never been any restriction on the import and sale of qat in Aden Protectorate. In Aden 667 Colony it may now be imported and sold under licence. The Report of the Qat Commission of Inquiry of 1958 stated, on medical evidence, that qat, unless used to excess, is not injurious to health. A United Nations Technical Assistance Mission in Narcotics Control has just visited Aden; its Report has not yet been received. Restriction of qat consumption has been frequently debated by the Aden Colony Legislative Council, both before its import was banned in 1957, and since the ban was lifted in 1958.
§ Mr. SorensenIs it not true that any drug taken in excess is deleterious and that qat has a certain deleterious effect? Reports have been made that it has done very great injury to the health of large numbers of people and in fact has led to about £2 million economic loss to the Colony? In these circumstances, cannot this matter be looked at more carefully?
§ Mr. MaudlingWe shall await with interest the report of the United Nations Mission. I must say that if we set about banning the use of everything which if taken in excess is harmful, it would be a pretty dull life.
§ Mr. DugdaleIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I personally have spent an entire evening consuming qat with absolutely no effect, good, bad or indifferent?
§ Mr. SorensenIs my right hon. Friend aware that I was present when my right hon. Friend chewed qat, and it was for only about ten minutes?