Is Khat legal in Turkey?
- Legal status
- Controlled. PLANT NAMED: Catha edulis (khat) was placed on the controlled-narcotics list alongside cathinone and cathine by Council of Ministers Decision No. 2011/1310 (7 Jan 2011) under Law No. 2313; import/sale/production is licence-only and consumption banned. Mechanism: NAMED (plant).
- Consequences if caught
- Personal use/possession of the leaf carries 2-5 years imprisonment; unlicensed import is seized.
- 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 on import.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Turkey’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 →