China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Substance Use Disorders
Published in Vincenzo Berghella, Maternal-Fetal Evidence Based Guidelines, 2022
Amphetamines were first synthesized in 1887 [151]. Amphetamine is FDA approved (schedule II) for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. The more potent stimulant, methamphetamine (schedule II), is FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD and obesity. Methamphetamine is easily made from over-the-counter cold medications and addiction can occur after as little as one use [152]. Ecstasy, which is chemically similar to methamphetamine, was patented in 1912 [153]. In the 1970s, psychotherapists used ecstasy to enhance “openness” with their patients [153]. Ecstasy was classified as a schedule I drug in 1985 [153]. Khat is a shrub (Catha edulis) native to the Southwestern Arabian Peninsula and Eastern Africa. Chewing khatpyy has been chewed for centuries because of stimulant and euphoric effects. The active ingredient is β-ketoamphetamine, a cathinone with properties that are similar to amphetamine [154]. Bath salts are a group of synthetic cathinones (naturally occurring alkaloids which are chemically similar to amphetamines) with amphetamine-like stimulant properties. Bath salts, sometimes also sold as “jewelry cleaner”, “phone screen cleaner”, or “plant food”, get their name from the resemblance of the white or beige crystalline powder to the real thing [154]. Bath salts are not detected on routine urine drug screens.
Khat and the creation of tradition in the Somali diaspora
Published in Jane Fountain, Dirk J Korf, Drugs in Society, 2019
The difference between UK-based Somali complaints about khat and those of colonial administrators is telling. In the latter case, the objections were made on political and economic grounds. Users were more boisterous and assertive after chewing, whilst the imports from neighbouring Ethiopia were seen as an outflow of wealth from the British Empire. Contemporary campaigners and critics, by contrast, are concerned with the adverse impact of khat use on the well-being of the individual user, their family and the whole Somali community. At the forefront of these concerns are the claims that khat use leads to a range of mental health disorders, including hypnagogic hallucinations, mood swings, functional mood disorder, anxiety, sleeping disorders, loss of appetite and depression.28–32 However, many commentators are cautious about making direct causal links between khat and the above conditions, because most studies have been conducted on small samples and have failed to control for possible confounding factors.33 This is of particular importance in studies of immigrants, many of whom suffer from severe post-traumatic stress disorder after fleeing the violence of a civil war as well as famine, and experiencing the traumas of migration. Advocates for khat control have therefore sought to base their assertions on more solid ground. Khat, it is claimed, diverts active Somali men from the workplace, drains state-benefit-dependent household budgets, puts a strain on family relationships, and prevents the integration of Somalis into the UK mainstream.
Restricted and Banned Herbals
Published in Amritpal Singh Saroya, Reverse Pharmacology, 2018
Legal status: In 1980, the World Health Organisation classified C. edulis as a drug of abuse that can result in mild to moderate psychological dependence. Despite this fact, the World Health Organisation does not consider C. edulis to be addictive of a serious nature. The legal status of C. edulis may vary from one country to another. Whereas, C. edulis falls in the category of a controlled or illegal substance in some countries, in others, it is legal for sale and production. The status of khat in various countries is tabulated below:
The rise of global research trends on cathinones during 1994-2018: lessons from a systematic bibliometric analysis
Published in Journal of Substance Use, 2022
Kang Wang, Yijie Duan, Haihong Chen, Jin Hu, Man Liang
Our scientometric study (Figure 3) revealed past and current cathinone research trends and patterns. For instance, khat has had a long history of traditional indigenous use as a psychoactive plant, although its pattern of usage has changed due to immigration and government control on consumption and trade (Anderson & Carrier, 2009; Gebissa, 2010; Reuters, 2014). Indigenous use has persisted for eight centuries as a mild stimulant for enhancing energy during work, maintenance of prayers during long fasts, facilitation of social ties, and as a commodity for trade (Anderson & Carrier, 2009; Gebissa, 2010). Initially regarded as a substance used only by adult immigrants with experience of khat from their home country, anecdotal evidence suggests that khat is, in fact, used by both first generation immigrants and UK born young adults for its uniqueness, “mellow” high, and presumed safety (BBC News, 2009). In addition, the traditional use of khat, as guided by culture, is believed by users to be of little more harm than other stimulants such as coffee or tea. It is possible that the same factors leading to its adoption by new users in the UK could also hold true in the US. However, the future application of khat is unclear (Lemieux et al., 2015), with some suggesting that it could move toward either widespread legal commercialization or containment as an illicit substance (Gebissa, 2010).
Substance abuse in the Ethiopian afar pastoral community
Published in Journal of Addictive Diseases, 2018
Khat is a natural stimulant from the Catha Edulis plant cultivated in different parts of the world. It is known by different names including Kat, Chat, Kus-es-Salahin, Mirra, Tohai, TsKhat, Catha, Abyssinian Tea, African Tea, African Salad, bushman tea and flower of paradise.22 These names might demonstrate the relative acceptance of Khat in different parts of the world. The earliest reference to Khat appears to be dated around 973–1053 AD by Al-Biurni who compiled information on all contemporary drugs. He called it “qat” that was imported from Turkistan.23
Co-occurring medical and substance use disorders in patients with schizophrenia: a systematic review
Published in International Journal of Mental Health, 2019
Khat is an evergreen plant with leaves containing the amphetamine-like compounds cathinone and cathine. Many people in the Horn of Africa use that on a regular basis. In different studies, khat use was the most common type of SUD, next to nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis use (Abd. Rashid et al., 2010; Dervaux et al., 2004; Duko et al., 2015; Koskinen et al., 2009; Nesvåg et al., 2015; Veling et al., 2008; Verdoux et al., 1996). The prevalence of khat use in PWS in studies ranges up to 54% (Duko et al., 2015) (Table 1).