Author Topic: Khat (Read 387 times)

Gunthr · « **on:** July 04, 2003, 10:47:36 AM »

Has anyone had any first hand experience with chewing Khat, or Qat? I'd also be interested in any anecdotal information.

I understand that Khat is now used in the USA to some degree in certain immigrant populations, and in the UK as well...

Khat

Chairboy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2003, 10:49:37 AM »

I know that Dhog is also pretty popular, but there's an unpleasant aftertaste if it is whet.

CyranoAH · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2003, 11:04:51 AM »

Only seen it in Discovery Channel, but from what I know it is kind of a sedative and it leaves your teeth really really dirty

Daniel

pugg666 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2003, 03:47:05 PM »

acttually it's a stimulant

Quote

Khat contains cathine (d-norisoephedrine), cathidine, and cathinine. Cathine is also one of the alkaloids found in _Ephedra vulgaris_. It is fortunate, perhaps, that khat is also very rich in ascorbic acid which is an excellent antidote to amphetamine-type compounds.

In animals, khat produces excitation and increased motor activity. In humans, it is a stimulant producing a feeling of exaltation, a feeling of being liberated from space and time. It may produce extreme loquacity, inane laughing, and eventually semicoma. It may also be an euphorient and used chronically can lead to a form of delirium tremens. Galkin and Mironychev (1964) reported that up to 80% of the adult population of Yemen use khat. Upon first chewing khat, the initial effects were unpleasant and included dizziness, lassitude, tachycardia, and sometimes epigastric pain. Gradually more pleasant feelings replaced these inaugural symptoms. The subjects had feelings of bliss, clarity of thought, and became euphoric and overly energetic. Sometimes khat produced depression, sleepiness, and then deep sleep. The chronic user tended to be euphoric continually. In rare cases the subjects became aggressive and overexcited. Galkin and his colleague observed 51 subjects who had taken khat. Of these, 27 became excited, 18 became somnolent, and 6 remained unchanged. The respiratory rate and pulse rate were accelerated and the blood pressure tended to rise. The subjects also had a decrease in the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system.

CyranoAH · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2003, 03:48:47 PM »

I stand corrected.

It still stains your teeth badly

Daniel

Animal · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2003, 04:28:13 PM »

Its Somalia's poor-mans version of the US Air Force spiking fighter pilot oxygen with coke.

Inferno · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2003, 06:25:07 PM »

It looks like a ripped out cat tail...how ironic.

Mathman · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2003, 06:53:50 PM »

It is used to create targets for US Ranger training.

Gunthr · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2003, 07:11:46 PM »

might be something to that, Mathman

The "Blackhawk Down" book is where I first heard of it. Khat apparently put many skinnys under the illusion that they were invincible... and led them to die early deaths due to "lead poisoning"

I heard elsewhere that some US soldiers who have tried Khat returning from MiddleEastern areas have attempted to continue thier Khat chewing in the states ... where it is a controlled substance in a class with Heroin and Methamphetamine.