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Khat
Street terms for
Khat: (pronounced Cot) Abyssinian tea, African salad, oat, kat, chat,
and catha.i Also referred to as qat in Yemen,
tschat in Ethiopia, and miraa in Kenya ii
What does Khat look
like? iii
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
i
"Khat," DEA Intelligence
Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
ii "Drugs
and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA Diversion Control Program
iii "Drugs
and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA Diversion Control Program
iv "Khat,"
DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
v "Khat,"
DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
vi
"Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA Diversion Control
Program
vii
"Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA Diversion Control
Program
viii "Khat,"
DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
ix "Khat,"
DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
x "Khat,"
DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
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