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Ali, a qat grower, holds a bundle of qat leaves in a qat orchard near Sanaa, Yemen. Although qat chewing isn't as severe a health hazard as smoking tobacco, it has drastic social, economic, and environmental consequences. When chewed, the leaves release a mild stimulant related to amphetamines. Qat is chewed several times a week by a large percentage of the population: 90 percent of Yemen's men and 25 percent of its women. Because growing qat is 10 to 20 times more profitable than other crops, scarce groundwater is being depleted to irrigate it, to the detriment of food crops and agricultural exports.

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YEM_080404_313_xw.jpg
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© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com
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www.menzelphoto.com
Contained in galleries
Yemen, What I Eat: Asia, supporting images
Ali, a qat grower, holds a bundle of qat leaves in a qat orchard near Sanaa, Yemen. Although qat chewing isn't as severe a health hazard as smoking tobacco, it has drastic social, economic, and environmental consequences. When chewed, the leaves release a mild stimulant related to amphetamines. Qat is chewed several times a week by a large percentage of the population: 90 percent of Yemen's men and 25 percent of its women. Because growing qat is 10 to 20 times more profitable than other crops, scarce groundwater is being depleted to irrigate it, to the detriment of food crops and agricultural exports.
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