Is that spelled 'Ghat' or 'Khat?'

You may or may not have heard of 'Khat.' I first heard of it when I was living in Saudi Arabia. Some of my Saudi friends would talk about it in hushed tones and say that it was 'haram' (forbidden). I eventually pieced together that Khat is a kind of plant usually chewed in the Middle East and East Africa and has addictive qualities. Unlike Saudi Arabia, in Djibouti it is legal and most men will chew it on a regular basis. Having never used it myself, I can't describe the feeling, but I can describe the effect it has on the downtown area. Basically, from early to late afternoon, downtown is virtually devoid of people. Apparently, after purchasing their Khat, everyone retires to secluded areas and enjoys the Khat experience. I really should go no further because there's no way I could describe the phenomonem better than this article by Esquire magazine published last year. Please check it out:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0906KHAT_182