APA Dictionary of Psychology

n. an herbal CNS stimulant obtained from the leaves and other parts of an evergreen shrub, Catha edulis, indigenous to northeast Africa and the Arabian peninsula. The leaves are traditionally chewed to produce mild stimulant effects (e.g., mental alertness, suppression of appetite and the need for sleep, general sense of well-being); they can also be used to make a tea. The substance responsible for khat’s psychoactive properties is cathinone, a compound that is structurally similar to amphetamine. As with amphetamines, physiological tolerance and dependence and a variety of adverse reactions (e.g., behavioral disorganization and psychosis) may occur with continued or high-dose use. The use of khat has spread beyond its traditional boundaries to the United States and other Western countries. In many of those places, however, khat is illegal; it is classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule I controlled substance (see scheduled drug).