Evening Post readers have responded to the call from a leading member of the Somali community to ban the drug khat. And the campaign has won the backing of residents of an Easton tower block who say they have had enough of the legal substance being taken in their car park.

The shrub is chewed mainly by Somali men and has caused concern in the community because of the health problems and social issues surrounding it.

It is said that the plant, which is legal in Britain, is responsible for problems in the family as men stay away from their wives and children for long periods when they are chewing.

Kayse Maxamed Editor of the Somali Voice The Somali Voice

Kayse Maxamed, editor of the Somali Voice newspaper, said it should be banned in Britain because it is damaging efforts to integrate the community with other groups in the city.

Dozens of people have already responded by filling out the coupon, which can be found on this page, to back the campaign to get the drug banned.

Mr Maxamed said: "This drug is of no benefit to our community. Many young men are ruining their lives chewing khat. I think there is a lot of support for a ban on khat in Britain. It is already illegal in America and parts of Europe and I hope people can persuade the Government to do the same here."

John Bryant, who lives at Twinnell House, complained last week that the drug was being sold out of the back of cars in the car park of the tower block.

He said that the people selling it and chewing it did not live in the block and were creating a nuisance.

He said: "I think it would be a good thing to ban this drug and I back the campaign. If it is made illegal then the police would be able to do something about it by arresting the people who are using it and selling it.

"At the moment they can't do anything and we have to put up with 100 people at times gathering out there.

"There is a lot of mess left behind from the chewing which is upsetting to a lot of people here because it is not as if it is even being done by people who live in the block. We don't want our area messed up by people who don't even live here. They just come and use the car park."

Mr Bryant said that he complained to the city council about the issue three months ago but it was not until the problem was highlighted in the Evening Post and other media that action was taken.

He said: "The day after the reports in the Evening Post, the cars which were being used to sell the stuff were gone and there was nobody here selling it. But now they are back and we want to see it stopped."

The Home Office has not indicated whether it will ban the drug but has said it is carrying out research into its effects.

Source: This is Bristol, Aug 25, 2005

MP JOINS FIGHT TO BAN KHAT - This is Bristol