As part of implementing a qat-eradication program, nearly 45,000 qat trees were destroyed in the Jizan region last year, the National Awareness Society of Qat Dangers said. Qat trees in the Faifa mountains and Bani Malik in Jizan were razed in collaboration with farm owners, said Sheikh Ali Al-Ammri, head of the society. The farmers have replaced the qat trees with “good plants,” Al-Ammri said. Prince Muhammad Bin Nasser, Emir of Jizan, appreciated and rewarded the efforts of the farmers, he said. A computer training program was organized for 25 nationals who quit qat chewing in a sign of appreciation, Al-Ammri said. In April, 2008, Prince Muhamad Bin Nasser said “Chewing the leaves of this cursed tree (qat) has impaired the wheel of development in the region.” Qat is classified as a highly addictive stimulant that contains the chemical cathinone, which is a narcotic with addictive properties and has no known medicinal benefits. Several countries, like the US, are now taking anti
