A baggy of qat costs between $1.50 and $15 and lasts through one afternoon session. Sometimes two bags are needed. About 20% of a families income is consumed by qat and much of the countries agriculture revolves around growing the plant. The watering of qat fields uses over half of all the water consumed country wide. This is serious business. It has a variety of affects: it can make you more talkative, it suppresses hunger, prevents tiredness and increases sexual performance. The chewer, however, becomes withdrawn and quiet in the ‘come down’ stage.
On the less serious side, it is a very social obsession. Men get (and women) get together to chew the afternoon away. Some still continue to work. Long distance taxi drivers will take their old Peugeuot wagons from city to city, with 9 chewing passengers, changing gears and idling stuffing a fresh leaf in their mouth every few seconds. The resulting qat cheeks are astounding. Chewers look like they have Dizzy Gillespie cheeks - completely extended with a massive wad of mulched leaves.
On one long ride, I was offered my own baggy and given donations of qat from other passengers and from people at stops along the way. Apparently, Yemenis want you to share in their joyous love affair. It is in a way like a frat party but everyone is invited and free beer is on offer if you didn't bring your own. That doesn't happen often.
