National Drugs Helpline 0800 77 66 00
Khat
Khat is not an illegal substance in the UK.
What does it look like?
Khat is a green leaf shrub
How is it taken?
You chew on the leaves to get the effects.
What effects does it have?
When taken:
Can make you feel more alert and brighter. You feel increased confidence and concentration and a sense of calm. Can suppress your appetite; you wouldn’t feel as hungry.
Longer term:
Prolonged use of Khat will eventually make you dependent on it to keep you
feeling in high spirits, and stopping will cause you to feel depressed.
Sleeping problems
could develop, you may end up staying awake all the time, your heart would
be affected, your sexual urges may become suppressed and impotency could
occur.
As well as feeling more alert, it can also make you feel more aggressive
and anxious about what is going on around you. You may get irritable and
snappy
with people.