What Is Khat?

Have you ever heard of someone chewing khat and wondered, what is khat. Don’t worry, a large majority people in the United States don’t know what this herb is. Khat is a drug that is made out of the leaves of the catha edulis, which is found in eastern Africa. These leaves contain the stimulants cathine and cathinone.

Khat is a Schedule I drug in the United States, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Khat is also illegal in many other countries. Worried about a khat addiction? Call us today at 866.605.0532 for substance abuse treatment.

Who Uses Khat?

The use of khat is a common practice in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. However, its use in the United States is relatively limited. There are a few small communities of Somali and Yemeni Americans who chew khat regularly. It’s also used occasionally among other groups of immigrants from countries where khat is popular.

In recent years, khat has also become popular in Europe and North America. The 2016 NSDUH report found that 0.3% of people in the United States aged 12 or older had used khat in the past month. This corresponds to about 864,000 people. Khat is most popular among young adults with 1.5% of people aged 18 to 25 having used khat in the past month.

Many teens develop a habit of chewing or smoking it because of its addictive nature. Unfortunately, khat addiction sneaks up on teens before they know it. This is because the drug isn’t as immediately addictive as others such as cocaine or meth. However, after using it for a long time, people develop an addiction to the stimulants that the leaves contain.

The consequences of using khat can include addiction, dental problems, and heart issues. If you are concerned about your or someone else’s khat use, please seek professional help.

What Is Khat & What Does It Look Like?

It’s only half the battle to learn the answer to the question, what is khat. To combat this drug, you also need to know what the drug looks like. Khat is an evergreen shrub that flowers. It has green leaves and pink flowers. The leaves are dried and then chewed to release the stimulant chemicals. Khat has been used for centuries in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for its stimulant effects.

Unfortunately, telling the difference between khat leaves and the leaves of other shrubs is difficult. Instead, it’s easier to look for signs that your teen is using khat. For example, if you see them smoking leaves or chewing on leaves regularly, this may be a sign.

What Is Khat Addiction?

Khat addiction signs are sometimes hard to spot. They’re very similar to the symptoms of having a lot of caffeine. This is because caffeine and the ingredients in khat are both stimulants. Below are a few signs of addiction to khat:

• Depression
• Hyperactivity
• Inability to sleep
• Mood swings
• Violent behavior
• Social problems
• Overly talkative

There are many different ways that students take khat. The most common way is to simply chew on the leaves to release the stimulants. Others dry out the leaves so that they can smoke them. It’s also possible to use khat to make tea. The hot water releases the stimulants into the brew.

Teen Drug Rehab for Khat Addiction at Beaches Recovery

Beaches Recovery is an adult and teen drug rehab center in Jacksonville, Florida. We focus on helping people get the addiction help that they need. We do this by providing a number of programs, including:

• Traditional living
• Extended care
• Primary care
• Outpatient treatment
• Sober living
• Student addiction treatment
• Therapy

Along with offering addiction help for khat, we treat addictions to other drugs such as meth, cocaine, alcohol, and heroin. We partner with insurance companies such as Humana, Aetna, and Magellan.

Contact us today to get the answer to “What is khat?” Don’t let addiction control your life or the life of a loved one. Our talented staff specializes in addiction recovery. Call 866.605.0532.