Khat, the plant that is chewed for hours in Yemen: The stimulant that has become part of a country’s life and economy
In many parts of Yemen, the afternoon has a special ritual. People gather in groups, sit for hours and begin chewing the leaves of a plant called khat. Conversations continue, energy increases, appetite decreases and time passes between the green leaves held in one side of the mouth. For a large part of Yemeni society, khat is not just a plant. It is a social habit, a part of the culture and an important industry. But behind this ritual lies a psychoactive substance that can affect the nervous system, the heart, sleep… and the household economy.
WHAT IS KHAT?
Khat, scientifically known as Catha edulis, is a shrub or small tree native to East Africa and widespread for centuries in Yemen and other parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The young leaves and young shoots are mainly used for consumption. They are chewed slowly to release the active substances into the saliva. The plant mass is usually held in the mouth and then spit out, rather than being swallowed whole.
The most important psychoactive substance in the fresh leaves is cathinone, a stimulant with effects similar to amphetamines. The leaves also contain cathine and other compounds. Herein lies one of the peculiarities of khat: the leaves must be fresh, as cathinone degrades as the plant dries. This is another reason why its use has historically been concentrated in areas where the plant is cultivated.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CHEW?
At first, the user may feel more alert, energetic, and euphoric. They may become more sociable and talkative, while feelings of fatigue and appetite may decrease. But the effect doesn’t end there. After the stimulant phase, irritability, irritability, low mood, difficulty sleeping, and fatigue may occur. Studies have linked frequent use to sleep problems and changes in psychological functioning.
In the body, the active ingredients in khat can increase blood pressure and heart rate. The medical literature has also reported gastrointestinal problems and other health effects, especially in heavy users. However, researchers emphasize that not all links between long-term use and disease are fully causally determined.
A “SOCIAL ROOM” THAT LONGS FOR HOURS
Khat has a dimension that distinguishes it from many other substances: the ritual of consumption is as important as its effect. Chewing is often done in groups. People gather, talk and stay together for hours. In some cases, sessions can last most of the afternoon and evening. For this reason, khat is closely linked to social relationships and local traditions. This makes it even more difficult to change the habit. It is not just about one person consuming a substance, but about an activity that can be part of a social circle, family and community.
HOW PREVALENT IS IT?
Figures vary by period, area, and method of measurement. A study conducted in Sana’a reported khat use by about 80% of men and women aged 15 and over, and about 50% of women. Meanwhile, a 2007 World Bank study found that 72% of men and 33% of women in its sample used it regularly. These figures should not be interpreted as actual percentages of the entire Yemeni population. They do, however, indicate how deeply the habit has become embedded in Yemeni society.
WHEN A CULTURAL HABIT BECOMES AN ECONOMIC BURDEN
The problem is not just about health. According to a World Bank analysis, users surveyed in Yemen spent an average of about 10% of their income on khat. A significant proportion of users spent two to six hours a day chewing it, and some even more. This means that the cost is not just the money paid for the leaves. It is also the time lost.
If several hours of the day are spent each day in a khat session, those are hours that are not spent on work, education, family care, or other economic activities. The World Bank has also argued that widespread khat use can affect household budgets, nutrition, and productivity.
And there is another paradox: water.
Yemen is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, and khat has become one of the country’s most important agricultural crops. This creates an economic and agricultural dilemma: the plant brings income to farmers and employment, but expanding its cultivation competes with land use and limited water resources.
In a World Bank analysis, khat accounted for about 6% of GDP and about a third of Yemen’s domestic agricultural production in 2007. So, the plant that is criticized for its social impact is both a source of livelihood for farmers and an important part of the rural economy.
NOT JUST “A PLANT THAT GETS DRUNK”
Khat is often described in a simplistic way as a kind of “natural amphetamine”. The comparison has a pharmacological basis, due to cathinone, but the reality is more complex. Khat contains dozens of chemical components and its effects cannot be explained by a single substance. Scientific studies have documented various effects, but also highlight that there is still uncertainty about some of the consequences of long-term use.
The World Health Organization has noted that khat use is associated with health problems, but also with the time and family income spent on its purchase and consumption.
ONE PLANT, TWO FACES
This is why the history of khat cannot be reduced to a simple formula: “Yemenis chew khat and it makes them poor.” The reality is more complex. Khat is at once a psychoactive stimulant, a social ritual, a part of tradition, an agricultural product, and a source of income.
At the same time, frequent use can take hours out of the day, strain the family budget, and be associated with health problems. In a country ravaged for years by war, poverty, water shortages, and humanitarian crises, khat has thus become part of a much larger story: how a small plant can simultaneously affect the body, family, culture, and economy of a society.