Is Khat legal in China?
- Legal status
- Controlled — BOTH named. The PLANT khat (恰特草 / Catha edulis) was added to the controlled non-medical narcotic/psychotropic catalogue in 2013 (eff. 1 Jan 2014) and cathinone is a controlled psychotropic. Mechanism: NAMED (plant + alkaloid, 2013/2014). Below tier: Criminal Law art. 347 sets capital weight thresholds only for opium (1000g) and heroin/meth (50g); khat/cathinone are 'other drugs' with no fixed capital threshold, so the leaf will not realistically reach capital.
- Consequences if caught
- The plant is explicitly banned; expect confiscation and prosecution, not capital, for khat quantities.
- If prescribed or medical
- Khat is traditional plant material with no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route; the plant itself is named on China's controlled catalogue and seized on import.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with China’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →