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Cathinone
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===Cultural significance=== [[File:Qat man.jpg|thumb|left|Man chewing khat]] Over 20 million people in the [[Arabian Peninsula]] and [[East Africa]] chew khat leaves daily. It is an important piece of the culture and economy in this region, especially in [[Ethiopia]] (where khat is said to have originated), Kenya, [[Djibouti]], Somalia and Yemen. Men usually chew it during parties or other social gatherings while smoking cigarettes and drinking tea. Farmers and other workers also use khat in the afternoon to reduce fatigue and hunger as the day goes on. It functions like the [[caffeine]] in a strong cup of coffee as an anti-fatigue drug. Students and drivers have been known to use it to stay alert for longer periods of time.<ref name="Kirby">{{cite news| vauthors = Kirby A |title=Yemen's khat habit soaks up water |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6530453.stm |website=BBC News|date=7 April 2007|publisher=BBC|access-date=20 March 2015|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141012084142/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6530453.stm|archive-date=12 October 2014}}</ref> In order to produce its desired effects, khat leaves should be chewed fresh. The fresh leaves have a higher concentration of cathinone. Waiting too long after cultivation to chew the leaf will allow the cathinone to break down into its less potent form, cathine. Because of the need for quick chewing, it is a habit that has historically been prevalent only where the plant grows. However, in the recent years with improvements in road and air transport, khat chewing has spread to all corners of the world. The cultivation of khat in Yemen is a highly profitable industry for farmers. Khat plants will grow differently depending on the climate they are grown in and each one will produce different amounts of cathinone.<ref name="Al-Motarreb">{{cite journal | vauthors = Al-Motarreb A, Baker K, Broadley KJ | title = Khat: pharmacological and medical aspects and its social use in Yemen | journal = Phytotherapy Research | volume = 16 | issue = 5 | pages = 403β413 | date = August 2002 | pmid = 12203257 | doi = 10.1002/ptr.1106 | s2cid = 9749292 }}</ref> It generally grows best in coastal, hot climates. In Yemen, the khat plant is named after the region in which it is grown. The Nehmi khat plant has the highest known concentration of cathinone, 342.5 mg/100 g.<ref name="Al-Motarreb"/>
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