Forum to address Khat use

Columbus, OH – Roughly 45,000 Somalis call Central Ohio home and have brought with them their own customs and traditions. But some of those are causing conflicts in their Columbus-area neighborhoods, including the centuries-old custom of using Kaht. The natural stimulant from East Africa is illegal in the U.S., and one Ohio lawmaker has proposed a tougher law to prosecute those possessing it. But many Central Ohio Somalis are unaware of the legal and health issues Khat raises, according to Columbus Community Relations director Jim Stowe. He tells Alison Holm a community forum tonight at the global mall on morse road is intended to get the word out about the use and abuse of Khat.