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The word khat (pronounced cot) may not evoke much response from most of American society, but it could herald a significant problem for law enforcement in the near future.1 Khat is a plant that originates in eastern Africa and the southern Middle East; people of these regions know it well and, reportedly, for centuries have chewed its leaves for their narcotic properties. Users in these areas may spend up to half of their income on the drug.2 Khat is known by other names throughout the world; people in eastern Africa most commonly call it miraa, but it also is referred to as chat, jat, oat, kat, African salad, and Abyssinian tea. Many countries consider it a legitimate (and profitable) export.
The United States considers khat dangerous and classifies it as a controlled substance. Undoubtedly, a passion for this drug in America's fast-paced society would present a crisis. Armed with an understanding of this natural narcotic, including its origins, chemical and medical concerns, and cultural status, law enforcement will be better equipped to combat it if it expands into the larger U.S. population.
Composition and Cultivation
The main psychoactive ingredients in khat are cathinone (chemically similar to amphetamine) and cathine. In addition, khat plants contain chemicals called alkaloids, which long have served as narcotics and hallucinogens.
DEA classifies cathinone as a Schedule I narcotic.3 The amounts of cathinone that exist in khat and, thus, the drug's mind-altering effects may vary based on the area where it was harvested. For instance, the amount of cathinone in khat plants from Kenya may reach 14 percent, while levels in plants from Yemen may be as low as 3.3 percent.4 Once khat leaves dry and the cathinone evaporates, only cathine remains, and the plant drops to a Schedule IV narcotic.5
Current interest in cathinone exists because recent discoveries confirm that illegal laboratories produce a chemical called methcathinone, a synthetic form of cathinone. Ephedrine, a compound found in over-the-counter cold medicines, and pseudoephedrine represent the main precursor chemicals. Methcathinone, which sells as a methamphetamine alternative, commonly is called cat and often mistaken for khat.6
The khat tree grows 3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level and can reach a height of 20 feet. The leaves of the plant are reddish-brown while...