Khat Use is Associated with Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Use: A Cross-Sectional Examination in the United States

Motohiro Nakajima, Kalkidan Molla, Brook Belachew, Abduselam Mohammed, Abdikadir Hassan, Jerome Kroll, Mustafa al’Absi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

No study has systematically examined khat (Catha edulis) use and its linkages with other substance use in the United States. This study provides novel findings related to the associations of khat with other substance use among immigrants in metropolitan areas of Minnesota where large East African communities reside. Using a convenience sampling, a total of 261 individuals completed a brief face-to-face interview during which demographic information and substance use were assessed. The proportion of lifetime and current use were 30% and 6.6% for khat, 35% and 18% for tobacco, 35% and 21% for alcohol, and 13% and 10% for other illicit drugs. Self-report history of khat use was associated with tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use. Tobacco use was related to alcohol and use of other drugs. The results suggest that a history of khat use is useful in identifying individuals who are vulnerable to substance-use-related problems. The findings indicate the need for more research on khat in the U.S.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)413-419
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Psychoactive Drugs
Volume49
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 20 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

  • Catha edulis
  • immigrants
  • khat
  • smoking
  • tobacco

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