khat plant

All About Khat: The Controversial Plant with Psychoactive Effects

Khat (pronounced “cot”) is a leafy plant that has been chewed for centuries in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for its mild psychoactive effects. The fresh young leaves and shoots contain cathinone and cathine, alkaloid stimulants that give users feelings of increased alertness, excitation, and euphoria when chewed.

What is Khat Exactly?

Khat goes by many names around the world – qat in Yemen, quat in Ethiopia, and miraa in Kenya and Somalia. But it’s all referring to the same plant – Catha edulis, a flowering evergreen shrub native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
The khat plant can grow over 20 feet tall if left wild, but cultivated plants are usually pruned to shoulder height for easier harvesting. Khat’s leaves look similar to withered basil leaves, green when fresh but turning brown and dry as they wilt. The youngest shoots near the top of the branches are preferred and typically chewed soon after harvesting.

How is Khat Used?

Khat chewing sessions traditionally function as social events or rituals. Users will sit together and pluck soft green khat leaves off the branches, ball them up, and tuck them into their cheeks for chewing slowly over several hours. The juices are swallowed while the plant fibers are spat out.
Fresh khat leaves have an astringent, slightly sweet taste. Their flavor diminishes quickly after harvesting, so khat is usually consumed within 48 hours for maximum potency. Dried leaves can also be brewed into tea, but this is less common.

Khat’s Active Ingredients

The chemicals responsible for khat’s psychoactive effects are cathinone and cathine. Cathinone is structurally similar to amphetamines and works in a similar way, prompting the release of dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain. It causes feelings of euphoria, alertness, and elation along with side effects like increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Cathine is a milder stimulant akin to norephedrine, with effects that users describe as improving concentration and sociability. These alkaloids start to break down soon after the khat plant is harvested, so chewing fresh leaves is imperative for experiencing khat’s effects.

Short-Term Effects of Khat Use

Within an hour of chewing khat leaves, users report feeling an excited, energetic high characterized by:

• Euphoria, elation, and increased sociability
• More alert, focused, motivated and mentally stimulated
• Increased blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature
• Decreased appetite; weight loss over time
• Insomnia, anxiety, irritability, restlessness

These effects dissipate after a few hours, sometimes followed by a “crash” including low mood, sluggishness, and mental dullness. Frequent khat sessions can lead to inflammation and ulcers inside the mouth as well.

Long-Term Dangers of Khat Addiction

With frequent, heavy use over many years, khat can cause serious health complications:

• Malnutrition and weight loss from suppressed appetite
• Tooth decay and gum disease from excessive chewing
• Insomnia and impaired concentration abilities
• Liver damage, liver failure in extreme cases
• Cardiovascular disease from elevated heart rate and blood pressure
• Respiratory issues, coughing, and lung infections
• Higher risk of mouth cancers, like oral cancer

People who use khat regularly can also develop a psychological dependence. When the drug leaves their system, withdrawal symptoms like tiredness, irritability, nightmares, and cravings kick in. However, khat does not seem to cause a physical addiction or withdrawal syndrome as severe as “harder” stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine.

Is Khat Legal?

In the regions where Catha edulis grows, khat chewing is a common cultural practice often permitted by law. Countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen allow domestic khat use, production, and exportation.
In contrast, khat is outlawed in the U.S. and much of Europe. Cathinone is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance alongside drugs like heroin and LSD, while cathine is Schedule IV. Khat itself is labeled a “drug of concern” with no medical uses. Importing khat can result in criminal charges for drug smuggling.
However, khat remains poorly regulated in some countries. The UK banned it in 2014, prompting outrage within immigrant communities from East Africa and Yemen who chewed khat socially for generations without issue.

The Complex Impact of Khat Commerce

In parts of Ethiopia and Kenya, khat commerce makes up a large chunk of the economy. Khat cultivation and transport employs hundreds of thousands of people in Africa. For struggling farmers, the khat trade offers much higher profits than growing food crops.
But while khat commerce brings in money, it also drains resources. Experts believe cash spent on khat hinders development in poor countries by funneling potential investments in health, education, and infrastructure into drug use instead. The cycle of farming khat also leads to deforestation and environmental issues in vulnerable areas.
On the societal level, overuse of khat causes health problems and harms family structures. Wives and children of khat users often complain about money wasted on the plant instead of food, land sold to buy more khat, and neglect from fathers and husbands lost in addiction.
However, banning khat is controversial too. Destroying the khat trade damages local economies that depend on its profits to stay afloat. There are no easy answers for communities weighing khat’s cultural significance against its consequences.

The Bottom Line

When used moderately by adults in traditional social settings, khat appears mostly harmless. But frequent use over many years, especially combined with tobacco and alcohol, can cause adverse health effects. Communities must weigh khat’s benefits and risks carefully when considering how to regulate it.
The debate over khat legality seems unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. But understanding the plant’s chemical components, effects profile, cultural importance, and commercial impacts is crucial for informed discussions regarding its appropriate role in society.