Khat ( AKA : cathinone, cathine, abyssinian tea, african salad, oat, kat, chat, and catha )

Fact Sheet & Important Issues

• Khat is a flowering evergreen shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Khat that is sold and abused is usually just the leaves, twigs, and shoots of the Khat shrub.

How is Khat used?^iv

• Khat is typically chewed like tobacco.
• The fresh leaves, twigs, and shoots of the Khat shrub are chewed, and then retained in the cheek and chewed intermittently to release the active drug.
• Dried plant material can be made into tea or a chewable paste.
• Khat can also be smoked and even sprinkled on food.

What are some consequences of Khat use? ^v

• Common side effects include anorexia, tahycardia, hypertension, insomnia, and gastric disorders.
• Chronic Khat abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence, and suicidal depression.
• Widespread frequent use of Khat impacts productivity because it tends to reduce worker motivation.
• Khat can induce manic behaviors, hyperactivity, and hallucinations.^vi
• There are reports of Khat-induced psychosis.^vii

Who uses Khat? ^viii

• The use of Khat is an established cultural tradition for many social situations in the areas of primary cultivation: East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Several million people may currently be using Khat worldwide.
• The largest concentrations of users are in the regions surrounding the Middle East.

How does Khat get to the United States?^ix

• Khat, while illegal in the United States, is legal in much of Europe, East Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Individuals of East African and Middle Eastern descent are mot often responsible for the importation, distribution, possession, and use of Khat in the United States.
• Khat is usually shipped already packaged in bundles, and wrapped in plastic bags or banana leaves to retain moisture and freshness.
• Khat is generally smuggled in passenger luggage, overnight express mail, or shipped as air cargo and falsely labeled as "vegetables."

How much does Khat cost?

• Exactly prices are not known, but Khat is a relatively costly drug.^x

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