<P> In other countries, outside of its core area of growth and consumption, khat is sometimes chewed at parties or social functions . It may also be used by farmers and labourers for reducing physical fatigue or hunger, and by drivers and students for improving attention . </P> <P> It takes seven to eight years for the khat plant to reach its full height . Other than access to sun and water, khat requires little maintenance . Ground water is often pumped from deep wells by diesel engines to irrigate the crops, or brought in by water trucks . The plants are watered heavily starting around a month before they are harvested to make the leaves and stems soft and moist . A good khat plant can be harvested four times a year, providing a year - long source of income for the farmer . </P> <P> Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement, similar to that conferred by strong coffee . Individuals become very talkative under the influence of the plant . The effects of oral administration of cathinone occur more rapidly than the effects of amphetamine pills; roughly 15 minutes as compared to 30 minutes in amphetamine . Khat can induce manic behaviours and hyperactivity, similar in effects to those produced by amphetamine . </P> <P> The use of khat results in constipation . Dilated pupils (mydriasis) are prominent during khat consumption, reflecting the sympathomimetic effects of the drug, which are also reflected in increased heart rate and blood pressure . The 11th - century pharmacologist, Al - Biruni, claimed other chemical and physical properties associated with khat, namely, that it also acts as a natural refrigerant for the stomach and the liver, and relieves biliousness . </P>

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