Khat or qat (Catha edulis), also known as Bushman's tea in South Africa, is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, and the sole species in the genus Catha. It is a shrub or tree native to eastern and southern Africa, ranging from Ethiopia and South Sudan to Angola and the Cape Provinces of South Africa. It grows in montane riverine and evergreen forests from 1,100 to 2,400 metres (3600 to 7900 feet) elevation.
It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar region of Ethiopia, and it was subsequently introduced at different times to countries nearby in East Africa and South Arabia, notably Somalia and Yemen. Cultivated by farmers, its leaves are sold on the market to be chewed as a recreational stimulant. The world's largest consumers are East Africans, particularly Somalis, and nearby Yemen, with the largest producers/exporters being Ethiopia and Kenya.
Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant which causes greater sociability, excitement, mild loss of appetite and mild euphoria. Among communities from the areas where the plant is native, khat-chewing has historical relevance (as a social custom, especially among men) dating back thousands of years, analogous—but slightly different—to the use of coca leaves in South America's Andes Mountains or the betel nut preparations in South Asia.
Since 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies khat as a "drug of abuse" that can produce psychological dependence, although the WHO does not consider khat addiction to be a serious global problem.
The legality of khat varies by region and country; in many territories, khat might pass "under-the-radar" as a botanical species (thus not be a specifically controlled substance), but its recreational use may, nevertheless, be illegal under more general laws.
It is strictly a controlled substance in many regions, often at the highest degree, including in Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, Jordan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. In the United States and Turkey, the botanical specimen (plant) Catha edulis is not prohibited, but the consumption and distribution of harvested leaves or possession for recreational use are illegal. In the UAE, the punishment for possession, use, or distribution of khat can include life imprisonment.
By contrast, its production, sale, and consumption are all fully legal—or not mentioned in a legal context at all—in the nations where its use is culturally significant, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen. In Israel, which hosts a population of Yemenite Jews and Ethiopian Jews, only the consumption of the plant's leaves in its natural state is permitted; "khat extracts" are illegal, after they became a street drug and were popularly abused in the 2000s.Sadeh ve'yerek – Newspaper of the Vegetable Growers Association, Issue 230, Tel-Aviv (March 2011). [Hebrew]
Terminology The genus name Catha is a Latinization of the Arabic name , which is regularly romanized as qāt. Other romanizations include kat, quatt, qaad, qhat, ghat, and chat.Oxford English Dictionary, 1st edition, 1901 s.v.
The khat plant is known by a variety of names, such as qat and gat in Yemeni Arabic, qaat and jaad in Somali, and chat (ጫት) in Harari and Amharic. It is also known as jimaa in the Oromo language, mayirungi in Luganda, and as miraa and muguka in Swahili. In the African Great Lakes region, where Catha edulis is (in some areas) cultivated, it is known as muguka, muhulo, miraa and muirungi.
It also goes by various descriptive names, such as Abyssinian tea, Arabian tea, kafta, jimaa, and Somali tea in its endemic regions of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian peninsula. In South Africa, the plant is known as Bushman's tea. The plant is also known as chat tree and flower of paradise.
In the Indian subcontinent, Catha edulis is sometimes referred to by its Unani name Kat or Qaat in traditional texts.
Description
Khat is a slow-growing shrub or tree that typically attains a height of . However, it can reach heights of up to in equatorial areas. The plant usually grows in arid environments, at a temperature range of . It has evergreen leaves, which are long and broad.
It takes seven to eight years for the khat plant to reach its full height. Other than access to sun and water, khat requires little maintenance. Ground water is often pumped from deep wells by diesel engines to irrigate the crops, or brought in by water trucks. The plants are watered heavily starting around a month before they are harvested to make the leaves and stems soft and moist. A good khat plant can be harvested four times a year, providing a year-long source of income for the farmer.
The shrub's flowers are produced on short axillary cymes that are in length. Each flower is small, with five white petals.
The samara fruit is an oblong, three-valved capsule, which contains one to three seeds.
Society and culture Cultivation
Khat has been grown for use as a stimulant for centuries in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. There, chewing khat predates the use of coffee and is used in a similar social context. Its fresh leaves and tops are chewed or, less frequently, dried and consumed as tea, to achieve a state of euphoria and stimulation. The leaves or the soft part of the stem can be chewed with either chewing gum or fried peanuts to make it easier to chew.
In Uganda, it is grown in the central region, especially in Kasenge (Wakiso), Butambala District, Mabira Forest, and in some parts of the western region of the country. In Kenya, it is grown in Meru County and Embu County.
One reason for the widespread cultivation of khat in Yemen is the high income that it provides for farmers. Some studies done in 2001 estimated that the income from cultivating khat was about 2.5 million Yemeni rials per hectare (1 million per acre), while fruits brought only 0.57 million rials per hectare (0.23 million per acre). Between 1970 and 2000, the area on which khat was cultivated was estimated to have grown from 8,000 to 103,000 hectares (30 to 400 sq. mi.). In 2000, according to a World Bank estimate, khat accounted for 30% of Yemen's economy.
Uses
Although the practice of khat-chewing is still primarily restricted to its original area of cultivation in the Red Sea area, the khat plant is native to the whole of the eastern side of Africa from Kenya southwards to Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, where it grows on rocky outcrops and around the fringes of woodlands. In southern Africa the shrub's range is scattered but still grows in the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, in addition to Eswatini and Mozambique.
Traditionally, khat is used as a socialising drug as in Yemen, where khat-chewing is predominantly a male habit combined with conversation, hookah smoking, and tea drinking. Khat is so popular in Yemen that its cultivation consumes much of the country's agricultural resources. An estimated 40% of Yemen's water supply goes towards irrigating it, with production increasing by about 10% to 15% every year. One "daily bag" of khat requires an estimated of water to produce.
In countries outside the core area of growth and consumption, khat is sometimes chewed at parties or social functions. It may also be used by farmers and labourers for reducing physical fatigue or hunger, and by drivers and students for improving attention.
In 2018, General Taher al-Aqili, chief of staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces, said that khat is "our whisky" and that it "gives his men strength to fight." Reports indicate that child soldiers in Yemen have been chewing khat in order to remain alert on the battlefield.
Distribution
In recent years, improved roads, off-road motor vehicles, and air transportation have increased the global distribution of this perishable commodity and, as a result, the plant has been found in places such as Australia, Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Levant, Italy, New Zealand and the United States. In the US, freshly-packed khat leaves are sold in the African and Middle Eastern markets of Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City, where the demand is highest.Zecharia Madar, "The Khat Phenomenon in Yemen and the Dangers it Poses", in: Ascending the Palm Tree – An Anthology of the Yemenite Jewish Heritage, Rachel Yedid & Danny Bar-Maoz (ed.), E'ele BeTamar: Rehovot 2018, p. 144
Effects
Medieval Mamluk historian al-Maqrizi describing Khat's effects states:
Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement, similar to that conferred by strong coffee. Individuals become very talkative under the influence of the plant. Animal testing has shown that khat causes an increase in motoric activity. The effects of oral administration of cathinone occur more rapidly than the effects of amphetamine pills; roughly 15 minutes as compared to 30 minutes in amphetamine. Khat can induce manic behaviours and hyperactivity, similar in effects to those produced by amphetamine.
The use of khat results in constipation. Dilated pupils (mydriasis) are prominent during khat consumption, reflecting the sympathomimetic effects of the drug, which are also reflected in increased heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term use can precipitate permanent tooth darkening (of a greenish tinge), susceptibility to ulcers, and diminished sex drive. Khat is an effective anorectic, causing loss of appetite.
It is unclear if the consumption of khat directly affects the mental health of the user or not. Occasionally, a psychotic episode can result, resembling a hypomanic state in presentation. In humans, its prolonged consumption creates an uplifted mood and a sense of release from time and space.
Khat is mainly chewed by men, but there are cases of its use by women, and in particular it has been associated with increased likelihood of adverse outcomes during pregnancy.
Effects by timeframe Immediate alertness arousal concentration confidence constipation dilated pupils euphoria friendliness increased blood pressure increased heart rate insomnia mania psychosis suppressed appetite talkativeness thought disorder verbosity
Excess Poisoning and nausea
Long-term depression infrequent hallucinations impaired inhibition (similar to alcohol) increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) oral cancer psychosis in extreme cases in the genetically predisposed weight loss
Indeterminate death stroke following acute coronary syndrome (clogging of the artery)either from impaired insight into symptoms by the khat chewer, delay to care, or poorly understood pathophysiological mechanisms
Chemistry and pharmacology
The stimulant effect of the plant was originally attributed to "katin", cathine, a phenethylamine-type substance isolated from the plant. However, the attribution was disputed by reports showing the plant extracts from fresh leaves contained another substance more behaviourally active than cathine. In 1975, the related alkaloid cathinone was isolated, and its absolute configuration, (S)-2-Amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one,cathinone, IUPAC name was established in 1978. Cathinone is not very stable and breaks down to produce cathine and norephedrine. These chemicals belong to the PPA (phenylpropanolamine) family, a subset of the phenethylamines related to amphetamines and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine. In fact, cathinone and cathine have a very similar molecular structure to amphetamine. Khat is sometimes confused with methcathinone (also known as cat), a Schedule I substance that possesses a similar chemical structure to the khat plant's cathinone active component. However, both the side effects and the addictive properties of methcathinone are much stronger than those associated with khat use.