khat

Khat (scientific name: Catha edulis) is a plant native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. People chew its fresh leaves and young shoots for their stimulant effect. The experience can include more energy, greater alertness, and mild euphoria. Fresh leaves matter because the main active substance, cathinone, breaks down after picking.

The practice of chewing khat has existed for centuries and remains an important part of social life in countries such as Yemen, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Afternoon sessions often bring people together to talk, relax, discuss business, or share news. Because the leaves lose strength fairly quickly, use has traditionally stayed strongest in places where the plant is grown or can be delivered fresh.

Its legal status varies widely around the world. In some countries it is a legal and accepted part of daily culture, while in others it is treated as a controlled substance or banned drug. In the United States, for example, authorities treat material containing cathinone as illegal. This difference between cultural tradition and drug law is one reason the word often appears in news and policy discussions.

You might see the word in articles about East African or Yemeni communities, in writing about traditional customs, or in discussions of health and drug policy. You may also come across variant spellings such as "qat" and "kat."

So in context, khat usually refers not just to the plant itself but to the custom of chewing its leaves, the social gatherings built around it, and the legal debates that surround it.