Written question asked by Peter Soulsby (Labour) on Wednesday, 13 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 15 May 2009. It was answered by Alan Campbell (Labour) on Monday, 1 June 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Drugs: Misuse

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of research commissioned by her Department on the individual and social effects of the use of khat in the UK.

Answer: In March 2005, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was asked by the Home Office to assess the extent of the harm posed by khat use in the UK based on the evidence available at that time. The ACMD recommended khat not be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act but they continue to monitor the situation in relation to khat through their technical committee.The Government's 2008 Drug Strategy Action Plan set out the intention to consider further the social harms created by khat use and to improve our understanding of the needs of khat users and their families.In light of the commitments, the Home Office has commissioned a research project to examine the social harms associated with khat use and to explore the level and availability of treatment service provision for khat users and their families and will be considering the issue of classification.

Secondary information