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Drug group - Stimulants
Street names
Khat, chat, qat
Drug effect
Mild stimulant. Users often report a calming effect, following mild euphoria and talkativeness.
Description
Green leafy plant
Therapeutic use
Khat is used socially in many African countries in much the same way as coffee is used in Western culture.
Street use
Chewing leaves, drinking infusion of leaves ('tea'). Use in Scotland has been linked to the dance scene.
Dependency
No record of dependency, although it would be reasonable to expect similar psychological dependency experienced by users of other stimulants.
Withdrawal
There is no recorded withdrawal syndrome but it may be reasonable to expect listlessness and tiredness, as experienced by users of other stimulants.
Long-term use
Khat is mainly chewed and this can cause medical problems associated with the oral cavity and digestive tract, leading to inflammation and secondary infections. Excessive khat use may cause psychological problems such as depression and anxiety leading to drug-induced psychosis. Some reports of poisonings of khat chewers as a result of the inappropriate use of fertilisers used in farming. Some evidence of increased risk of oral cancer.
Overdose risk
There is no known record of khat resulting in overdose, although it would be likely to act with other stimulants, causing palpitations and agitation.
Legal status
Khat is classed as a medicine if prepared for use and consequently unauthorised distribution is an offence under the Medicines Act.
The active ingredients of khat are Class C controlled drugs:
Methcathonone and cathinone - Schedule 1
Cathine - Schedule 2