Khat Licit Uses Chemistry/Pharmacology Illicit Uses

In 19801980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. Events January-February January 1- April 1 National steel strike in United Kingdom January 1 Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession creates Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess over her younger brother January 5 He the World Health OrganizationFor other meanings of the acronym 'WHO', see WHO (disambiguation : Please note ''Sections of this article have been edited by a user in arbitration. The relevance of those sections is controversial but they may remain whilst the arbitration is in process classified khat as a drug of abuse that can produce mild to moderate psychic dependence.

1 Licit Uses

Khat has not been approved for medical use in the US. Khat use has traditionally been confined to the regions where khat is grown, because only the fresh leaves have the desired stimulating effects. In recent years improved roads and the availability of off-road vehicles in or close to areas of cultivation and the possibility of air transportation has increased the global distribution of this non-storable commodity. Traditionally, khat has been used as a socializing drug and this is still very much the case in Yemen where khat-chewing is a predominantly male habit. In other countries khat is consumed largely by single individuals and at parties. It is mainly a recreational drug in the countries which grow khat, even though it may also be used by farmers and laborers for reducing physical fatigue, and by drivers and students for improving attention.

2 Chemistry/Pharmacology

The stimulant effect of the plant was originally attributed to cathineCathine (β-hydroxy amphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub Catha edulis (khat). Closely related to ephedrine, cathinone and other phenethylamines, it may contribute to the stimulant effect of Catha edulis although another constituent,, a phenethylaminePhenethylamine Chemical name2-Phenyl-ethylamine or2-phenylethanamine Chemical formulaCHN Molecular mass121. 18 g/mol Density0. 965 g/ml Melting point-60 °C Boiling point200 °C CAS number64-04-0 SMILES NCCC1 CC CC C1 Phenethylamine is an alkaloid and monoa-type substance isolated from the plant. However, the attribution was disputed by reports showing the plant extracts from fresh leaves contained another substance more behaviorally active than cathine. In 1975, the related alkaloid cathinoneGeneral Information Cathinone (β-keto amphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub Catha edulis ( Khat). Closely related to ephedrine, cathine and other phenethylamines, it is probably the main contributor to the stimulant effect of Catha was isolated, and its absolute configuration was established in 1978. Cathinone is not very stable and breaks down to produce cathine and norephedrine. These chemicals belong to the PPA (phenylpropanolamine) family, a subset of the phenethylamines related to amphetamines and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement. Individuals become very talkative under the influence of the drug and may appear to be unrealistic and emotionally unstable. Khat can induce manic behaviors and hyperactivity. Several cases of khat-induced psychosis have been reported in the literature. Khat is an effective anorectic and its use also results in constipation. Dilated pupils (mydriasis), which are prominent during khat consumption, reflect the sympathomimetic effects of the drug, which are also reflected in increased heart rate and blood pressure. A state of drowsy hallucinations ( hypnagogic hallucinations) may result coming down from khat use as well. Withdrawal symptoms that may follow prolonged khat use include lethargy, mild depression, nightmares, and slight tremor.

3 Illicit Uses

Khat is used for its mild euphoric and stimulating effects. Because of its anorectic effects, khat is used by some members of the Islamic faith during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Moslem year, which is spent in fasting from sunrise to sunset. Emigrants have now brought the khat habit to the US. Even though khat may help these religious and cultural groups preserve their ethnic identity in their new environments, outsiders and law enforcement agencies (in the US) generally see its use in the same light as those of the other psychomotor stimulants, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine.

4 User Population

It is estimated that several million people are frequent users of khat. Many of the users originate from countries between Sudan and Madagascar and in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, especially Yemen. In Yemen, 60% of the males and 35% of the females were found to be khat users who had chewed daily for long periods of their life. The traditional form of khat chewing in Yemen involves only male users; khat chewing by females is less formal and less frequent. In Saudi Arabia, the cultivation and consumption of khat are forbidden, and the ban is strictly enforced. The ban on khat is further supported by the clergy on the grounds that the Qur'an forbids anything that is harmful to the body. This is in sharp contrast to the opinions of the clergy in Yemen. In Somalia, 61% of the population reported that they do not use khat, 18% report habitual use, and 21% are occasional users. The drug has increasingly been brought to the U.S. by these emerging cultural enclaves. Once imported and found on the streets of the US, khat is being used by other populations.

5 Illicit Distribution

Khat leaves are illicitly bundled and shipped into the U.S. Seizures have occurred at all ports of entry and at courier services like FEDEX and UPS. According to the FDIN data base, over 57,000 pounds (26 t) of khat leaves were seized in 1998 and over 24 metric tons of khat seized in 1999. There were over 1 kilogram of cathine and over 44 kilograms of cathinone analyzed in the DEA laboratory system during 1999.

6 Control Status

Cathine is in Schedule IV and cathinone is in Schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act.

Taken from the United States Drug Enforcement Agency's Web site, and therefore not necessarily accurate and certainly not NPOV. Copyedited for clarity and (under "illicit uses") NPOV.

In the UK Cathine and Cathinone are Class C drugs. The plant Catha edulis is uncontrolled. Levels of control exist throughout most other European countries.

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