Khat
Aliases: Qat, Kat, Gat, Chat, Jaad
Summary
Khat's potency degrades rapidly after harvesting; fresh leaves (within 24-48 hours) contain the highest cathinone content, while older leaves primarily contain the weaker cathine. Legal status varies dramatically worldwide: it is Schedule I in the United States, Class C in the UK, and illegal in most of Europe and Canada, but remains legal and culturally significant in Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti. Chronic use is associated with cardiovascular problems, oral health issues, and gastrointestinal complications.
Dose Information
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Comeup | Peak | Offset | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral (Chewed) | 15-30 min | 30-60 min | 2-3 hrs | 1-2 hrs | 3.75-6.5 hrs |
Effect Profile
3 reportsScores (1–10) curated from multiple sources:
- Effect keyword matching from PsychonautWiki catalog
- Weighted by importance: core (×3), major (×2), minor (×1)
Stimulant
5.9
Strong
6/10
Moderate euphoria with mild stimulation and focus, low anxiety/jitters
Stimulation / Energy
×3
5
increased energy and alertness
stimulation
Euphoria / Mood Lift
×2
7
physical euphoria
cognitive euphoria
increased confidence
Focus / Productivity
×2
5
mental clarity and focus
analysis enhancement
Anxiety / Jitters
×1
2
increased heart rate
Based on reports from:
Tolerance
Build-up
develops rapidly, often within a single session; compulsive redosing common
Reset
a few days for acute tolerance
Tolerance Decay
Full tolerance
1h
Half tolerance
4d
Baseline
~5d
Effects
Positive
- Increased Energy and Alertness
- Stimulation
- Physical Euphoria
Negative
- Insomnia
- Increased heart rate
- Temperature Regulation Suppression
- Nausea
- Decreased Appetite
- Sedation
- Spontaneous Bodily Sensations
Positive
- Mild Euphoria
- Enhanced Talkativeness and Sociability
- Mental Clarity and Focus
- Increased Confidence
- Cognitive Euphoria
- Analysis Enhancement
Negative
- Irritability
- Anxiety and Restlessness
- Paranoia or Psychosis
- Motor Control Loss
Positive
- Increased Music Appreciation
- Colour Enhancement
- Pattern Recognition Enhancement
- Tracers
- Brightened colour
Negative
- Light sensitivity
- Perception of Bodily Heaviness
- Drifting
- Internal Hallucinations
- External Hallucinations
Combinations
Khat's nerd page
Pharmacology, chemical data, effect profiles, and more
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