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National Drug Intelligence Center        Product No. 2003-L0559-014 July 2003 |  NDIC Home  |  Fast Facts Index  |  NDIC Products  |  En Español

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Khat Fast Facts Questions and Answers       - What is khat?      - What does khat look like?      - How is khat used?      - Who uses khat?       - What are the risks?      - What is it called?      - Is khat illegal? Other products of interest Contact us  National Drug Intelligence Center a component of the  U.S. Department of Justice.

What is khat? Khat (Catha edulis) is a flowering shrub native to northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Individuals chew khat leaves because of the stimulant effects, which are similar to but less intense than those caused by abusing cocaine or methamphetamine.      What does khat look like? When fresh, khat leaves are glossy and crimson-brown in color, resembling withered basil. Khat leaves typically begin to deteriorate 48 hours after being cut from the shrub on which they grow. Deteriorating khat leaves are leathery and turn yellow-green in color. NDIC NDIC   How is khat used? Khat typically is ingested by chewing the leaves--as is done with loose tobacco. Dried khat leaves can be brewed in tea or cooked and added to food. After ingesting khat, the user experiences an immediate increase in blood pressure and heart rate. The effects of the drug generally begin to subside between 90 minutes and 3 hours after ingestion; however, they can last up to 24 hours. To Top   Who uses khat?    The use of khat is accepted within the Somali, Ethiopian, and Yemeni cultures, and in the United States khat use is most prevalent among immigrants from those countries. Abuse levels are highest in cities with sizable populations of immigrants from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen, including Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, and Washington, D.C. In addition, there is evidence to suggest that some nonimmigrants in these areas have begun abusing the drug.                 What are the risks? Individuals who abuse khat typically experience a state of mild depression following periods of prolonged use. Taken in excess khat causes extreme thirst, hyperactivity, insomnia, and loss of appetite (which can lead to anorexia). Frequent khat use often leads to decreased productivity because the drug tends to reduce the user's motivation. Repeated use can cause manic behavior with grandiose delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations. (There have been reports of khat-induced psychosis.) The drug also can cause damage to the nervous, respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems.         What is it called? Street Terms for Khat Abyssinian tea African salad Bushman's tea Chat Gat Kat Miraa Oat Qat Somali tea Tohai Tschat    To Top     Is khat illegal? Yes, khat is illegal. Fresh khat leaves contain cathinone--a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs, which include heroin and LSD, have a high potential for abuse and serve no legitimate medical purpose. When khat leaves are no longer fresh (typically after 48 hours), their chemical composition breaks down. At that point the leaves contain cathine, a Schedule IV substance. Schedule IV drugs are considered to have a lower potential for abuse but still can lead to limited physical or psychological dependence.        Other products of interest: Check out Fast Facts on: Crack cocaine Crystal methamphetamine Drug paraphernalia DXM Foxy Fry GHB and analogs Heroin Inhalants Jimsonweed Ketamine LSD Marijuana MDMA Methadone Methamphetamine OxyContin PCP Powdered cocaine Prescription drugs Psilocybin Ritalin Rohypnol Salvia divinorum Steroids Teens and drugs Triple C Yaba Also available from NDIC: Huffing--The Abuse of Inhalants Prescription Drug Abuse and Youth Drugs, Youth, and the Internet For more information on illicit drugs check out our web site at: www.usdoj.gov/ndic.  Call 814-532-4541 to request NDIC products.    Contact us Our addresses: National Drug Intelligence Center 319 Washington Street, 5th Floor Johnstown , PA 15901-1622   Telephone: 814-532-4601   FAX: 814-532-4690 NDIC Washington Liaison Office 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001 McLean , VA 22102-3840   Telephone: 703-556-8970   FAX: 703-556-7807 NDIC publications are available on the following web sites: ADNET  http://ndicosa LEO  home.leo.gov/lesig/ndic RISS  ndic.riss.net INTERNET www.usdoj.gov/ndic To Top

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