Khat Types
Khat types – The different forms in which Khat is taken
Catha Edulis, popularly known as khat is a natural stimulant. It is a slow-growing shrub that can grow to a height of 1.5 to 20 meters tall. Its growth depends on the soil and the amount of rainfall the region receives. The leaves are evergreen and are 5 to 10 cm long and 1 to 4 cm broad. The shrub produces flowers that are 4 to 8 cm long with every flower having five white petals. Khat leaves are glossy and crimson-brown but become yellow-green when they age. They also emit a strong smell.
Khat is also known by various names like Qat, Kat, Mirra, Quat, African Salad, Kus-es-Salahin, Somali tea, Herari, Tschat, Tohai, African Tea, Abyssinian Tea and other names.
Khat types
There are mainly two types of Khats available in the UK- Mirra, the Kenyan Khat which is believed to be have stronger effects. The stems of Mirra are also chewed sometimes to increase the potency of the leafy narcotic. The other type is Herari, which is the Ethiopian khat. Herari is believed to have milder effect and only the leaves of the Herari are chewed.
Khat is also taken in a dried form popularly known as Abyssinian Tea or African Tea. It is dried using similar processes like tea and taken in the same manner as regular tea. The dried Khat leaves give a golden infusion when mixed with lukewarm water and tastes slightly bitter but is said to deliver a very soothing effect on the nerves.
Availability and packaging of khat
Khat is generally packed in plastic bags or wrapped in banana leaves to retain the freshness and moisture. The leaves should be sprinkled with water during transport to keep the leaves moist. Khat is also sold as dried and crushed leaves or in the powdered form.
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e-Khat Team.
Chewing khat
Chewing Khat and its other uses
Catha Edulis, popularly known as Khat is a flowering plant local to the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast Africa. In these regions, Khat is chewed by individuals to achieve the stimulating effect similar but less intense than that caused by the usage of Methamphetamine or Cocaine. Khat is also dried and drunk as tea. But more commonly, the fresh leaves of Khat are chewed by people until the stage of euphoria is achieved.
Uses of Khat
Originally, the leaves were chewed by the people to suppress appetite and reduce fatigue. Earlier, it was mainly a spiritual aid used in many ceremonies. Historical records prove that the leaves were also used for other health and medicinal purposes. In short, Khat has been a socio-cultural edible substance in Arabia and Africa for centuries.
With time, it was introduced to the western world and its socio-cultural and medicinal usage gave way to illegal recreational misuse. Recently, it was discovered that Khat contains an alkaloid known as Cathinone which causes similar side effects like that of amphetamines.
People chewing Khat develop a euphoric effect which has often forced them to develop psychological dependence on the drug. Moderate intake of Khat may not cause addiction, but may have bad effects on different parts of the body. Chewing Khat can have adverse effects on the brain, heart, stomach and liver. When mixed with alcohol or other illegal substances, qat can be fatal to the body.
Chewing Khat gives a pleasurable experience, but regular usage can cause physical and psychological dependence on the drug. These conditions should be treated at addiction treatment centers. It is often believed by experts that qat is just another plant that is greatly misused.
Khat in Yemen
Khat is so popular in Yemen that nearly 40% of the country’s irrigation goes to the cultivation of the crop. Another reason behind the cultivation of Khat in Yemen is the high income it provides to the farmers of the country.
Studies in 2001 have shown that the income from cultivating Khat was about 2.5 million Yemeni Rials per hectare whereas it was only 0.57 million Rials per hectare when fruits were cultivated.
Khat is more then just a plant!
Buy Khat (USA)
The present scenario of buying Khat in the United States
Off late, the availability of Khat, a stimulant drug has increased in the United States. The amount of Khat seized by federal law enforcement officers has increased from 14 metric tons in 1995 to 37 metric tons in 2001. Even in the first 6 months of the year 2002, the federal officers seized some 30 metric tons of the drug. In the United States, people of Ethiopian, Somali and Yemeni descent are the main transporters of Khat.
About Khat
Khat or Qat is a flowering shrub native to northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The plants grow from 2 to 12 feet high and are grown among crops like legumes, peaches, coffee or papayas. The fresh leaves of the plant contain Cathinone which is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act in the United States. Qat leaves are chewed to get a feeling of euphoria. It also contains Cathine which is a Schedule IV drug and are considered a low potential for abuse and are currently used for medical purposes in the country.
Khat abuse in US
In US, Qat is mostly prevalent among the Somalian, Yemeni and Ethiopian population. Abuse levels are high in cities where these populations are high like Columbus, Kansas City, Boston, Minneapolis, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Dallas and Washington, D.C. Law enforcement reports have also indicated that other groups in these areas have also started getting addicted to the drug.
Effects of Khat
Qat is basically chewed just like tobacco. After the ingestion of Qat, the user experiences a feeling of euphoria, an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. According to abusers, the leafy narcotic lifts spirit, increases energy and sharpens thinking. The effects of the drug generally begin some 90 minutes and 3 hours after the ingestion of the drug. Repeated use of the drug can lead to paranoia, manic behavior with grandiose delusions, hallucinations and may also cause damage to respiratory, circulatory, nervous and digestive systems.
How is Khat transported to the US
Qat transportation should be quick as the leaves tend to loose its effect after 48 hours. That is why, Khat is transported mostly in US from Canada and Great Britain through package delivery services and sometimes through couriers aboard commercial aircraft. Khat is also transported from Canada through private vehicle. Often, Qat smugglers use different tricks to avoid law enforcement checking during shipping the drug through package delivery services.
The increasing amount of Qat seizures indicates the increasing popularity of Khat in the United States. Abuse of the narcotic is mostly prevalent among the people of Somalian, Yemeni and Ethiopian descent. But recent law enforcement reports have indicated the use of Khat by Caucasian individuals too.
khat has become a growing concern for the law enforcement agencies in the United States because of its increasing availability.
