African Boredom?

Tastes like oak leaves

Substances: Catha edulis

I seem to recall a few years ago, during the Somalia hubub, that on a newscast I saw footage of "crazed young men on DRUGS driving tanks". They were chewing stalks of some kind of plant; the newscaster called it "cat".

I have since learned that "khat" (from the "burning bush family"?) is a mild stimulant, common in northern Africa. The stalks are not chewed at all, but rather only the leaves. I wonder if the newscast wasn't staged (here, chew this stick for the camera and I'll give you some gruel).

Anyway, a vpl member mentioned it as being available in African restaurants in New York City a while back. I have since obtained a supply to determine the effects.

I was instructed to strip enough leaves to make a comfortable quid, and chew slowly. Repeat as needed.

The plant has a mild "green" taste, not unlike chewing on oak leaves. They are quite fiborous, so vigourous chewing is messy and unpleasant.

The effects are minimal- a cross between caffeine and kava I would say, as it relaxes while stimulating. A mild, mild euphoria is made available, and a noticable increase in heartrate. Combined with cannabis, the heartrate increase becomes even more noticable and almost unpleasant.

This would likely be a great plant to have with you on a backpacking trip or for your job at the convenience store. It does not seem to offer much in the way of revealing transcendental realms, but remember I am new to its effects.

Certainly it is not the "drug" that the media made it out to be during the Somalia conflict (incident? war? skirmish?). In fact, it might even be just the thing to calm down an angry bunch, though certainly some dagga would be more efficient.