The president prohibits the army to chew qat at work THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT! [Archives:1999/41/Front Page]

SANAA: Signs that the president indeed has begun to implement constructive steps guaranteed at the start of his elections program have begun to appear. One of these steps was forbidding the chewing of qat by military and police officers during their working hours. Not to forget that President Saleh himself has quit chewing qat as well. 
“I have seen the police capturing a soldier wearing a military (green) uniform while he was buying qat during the day. I realized later that they have done this because the president prohibited chewing qat during work.” a visitor told the Yemen Times. 
Police and Military men will have to face up to six months’ jail if they are caught chewing qat at work. This last directive issued by the president confirms his intention t o ban the use of qat, not only by armed forces, but by all governmental employees. 
It may seem as a small step, but,none the less, it is significant and is considered as a positive indication that things are being straightened up and it is not all just talk. As we thank the President for his efforts, we ask him to further strengthen this attempt by forbidding the chewing of qat in all governmental offices during the working hours. 
Official sources claim that around 200 violators to this ban of qat chewing during work rule had been held sine the ban was issued on the 30th of September 1999.
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