16 Facts About Khat

Khat or qat is a flowering plant native to eastern and southern Africa.

Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant, which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite, and euphoria.

Khat plant is known by a variety of names, such as qat and gat in Yemen, qaat and jaad in Somalia, and chat in Ethiopia.

Khat has been grown for use as a stimulant for centuries in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian peninsula.

Khat is so popular in Yemen that its cultivation consumes much of the country's agricultural resources.

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Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement, similar to that conferred by strong coffee.

Khat can induce manic behaviours and hyperactivity, similar in effects to those produced by amphetamine.

Khat is sometimes confused with methcathinone, a Schedule I substance that possesses a similar chemical structure to the khat plant's cathinone active component.

Khat, called "Gat" in Israel, is consumed mainly by Yemenite Jews.

Khat is illegal in the United Arab Emirates under federal law number 14 of 1995 on the Countermeasures against Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

Khat is much more water-intensive to grow than other crops.

Khat is classified as an illegal drug in Finland, and possession, use and sale of the substance is prohibited and punishable.

Khat is a controlled drug for the purpose of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988.

Khat is inserted in the Table I of the Italian official list of psychoactive drugs under the name "Catha edulis pianta" and thus possession is forbidden.

Khat can be imported only for medical or scientific use.

Khat is listed as a Schedule 2 dangerous drug in Queensland, in the same category as cannabis.