What Kind of Drug Is It?

Khat is a STIMULANT that comes from the fresh leaves of a shrubby bush known as Catha edulis. These leaves, along with the youngest of twigs on the bush, have both a chemical structure and an effect similar to AMPHETAMINES. As the leaves age and dry out, they lose their stimulating effect. The active ingredient in khat is cathinone. Catha edulis is most popular in eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Overview

The Catha edulis (khat) plant is a leafy, flowering shrub that is often planted in dense rows to act as a fence or boundary. Khat is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, a farming country in eastern Africa. The khat plant also grows wild in the surrounding countries of Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya. Just across the Red Sea from these East African nations lies the Republic...