DOSE:

1 - 10 leaf

buccal

Catha edulis

(fresh)

BODY WEIGHT:

180 lb

I have been growing a plant of Catha edulis for 10 years now. Once the plant was a large enough size I began experimenting with chewing leaves. Note: Catha edulis plants may vary greatly in potency. My experiences were based on a single plant grown from seed sourced from an Ethiopian plant.

Notes on the plant:

Easy to grow, likes well drained soil, prefers full sun, likes frequent watering but is very drought tolerant. Emits a strong unique scent similar to boxwood, particularly in hot weather.

Experiences:

I generally chew 2-5 leaves at a time. It is a pleasant uplifting experience without any jitters not unlike a cup of tea, weak coffee, or coca tea. Mind clarity and motivation to be active are improved. It also seems to promote a mental calmness and uplifting mood. Some increase in heart-rate is noticed on occasion, but it is never concerning and is not accompanied by anxiety. The taste is acrid and similar to the smell. Many of my friends think it offensive to the senses but I have grown to like it and now notice notes of apple.

On a few occasions I have tried higher doses to see if I could achieve a more obvious stimulating effect. The desired effects are increased somewhat, but undesirable side effects seem more so. Hot/sweat flashes occur occasionally and heartbeat increases. I prefer low, casual doses.

Medicinal:

The most appreciated and unexpected use I have found for this plant is as a decongestant. Since pseudoephedrine has become increasingly annoying to buy (and is extremely expensive) I decided to try using this plant as a natural source of this chemical and I figured the other related chemicals may also act as decongestants. My results may be placebo somewhat, but a mouthful of khat does seem effective at opening my nasal passage when I have such an issue. I doubt it is entirely placebo as it also discourages relying on mouth-breathing, which may bother me if my nose remained blocked -but it does not.

Exp Year: 2002-2012	ExpID: 94976
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 26
Published: Jun 1, 2020	Views: 4,219
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Catha edulis (32) : General (1), Cultivation / Synthesis (31), Retrospective / Summary (11), Various (28)