خات

Khat (خات, also qāt) is the plant Catha edulis, native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect, similar to strong coffee.

In Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, khat chewing is a deeply embedded social practice — groups gather in the afternoon to chew, talk, and solve problems. It's a social glue.

The word entered English through Arabic via colonial encounters. Khat became controversial internationally — banned in some countries, legal in others, always debated.

The plant's status mirrors its word's journey: normal in one context, criminal in another. The same leaf, the same word, means tradition in Sana'a and contraband in London.