Is Khat legal in Qatar?
- Legal status
- Illegal — BOTH controlled; khat and its alkaloids are controlled under Law No. 9 of 1987 (NDDPS), with cultivation, chewing and possession prohibited. Mechanism: NAMED/class (plant + alkaloid). Trafficking is capital-eligible in statute, but khat leaf sits below the realistic capital weight — no realistic capital exposure.
- Consequences if caught
- Prohibited outright; long imprisonment and deportation for possession, but not execution 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; leaf is a controlled narcotic and seized at the border.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Qatar’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 →