I Was Gonna Overthrow an Oppressive Regime, but Then I Got High (Doooo doo doo)

Yemen, an important ally in the war on terror, is stoned out of its gourd. Image via Wikipedia

Like so many other areas of the Mid-East, Yemen has experienced political turmoil as a result of an oppressed populace that yearns for new leadership. Unfortunately, there’s one hurdle that political opposition to the regime that has been in power for over three decades can’t overcome: drugs.

In particular Qat, the noontime stimulant used by Yemenis.

The drug is so popular that political organizers are having trouble keeping the population mobilized and active. Protests will last only a few hours, then the streets empty. It’s Qat time, and it’s keeping a dictator in power.

“After I chew I can’t go out. When I chew qat, the whole world is mine. I feel like a king,” said Mohammed al-Qadimi, a student who has attended Yemen rallies but said it would be hard to motivate himself to protest all day.

Read the full article on MSNBC.com