Is Khat legal in United States?
- Legal status
- Controlled. Schedule IV under the Controlled Substances Act, at 21 CFR 1308.14(f)(1). The plant is not scheduled; its alkaloids are. This cell states federal law only. Every state has its own controlled substances act and several differ from the federal schedules, so check the law of the state you are in.
- Consequences if caught
- The plant itself is not scheduled. Its alkaloids are: cathinone in Schedule I at 21 CFR 1308.11(f)(4) and cathine in Schedule IV at 21 CFR 1308.14(f)(1). Supply is 21 USC 841(b)(2), up to 5 years. Simple possession is 21 USC 844(a), up to 1 year and a fine of at least 1,000 dollars on a first offence, with higher figures after a prior conviction. The section excepts a substance 'obtained directly, or pursuant to a valid prescription or order, from a practitioner, while acting in the course of his professional practice'.
- If prescribed or medical
- No accepted medical use in treatment in the United States through the ordinary prescription channel, which is part of what puts a substance in Schedule I. Handling it outside a registered research setting is an offence under 21 USC 841 and 844.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescribed medicine in its original labelled container with the prescription. Federal law and the law of the state you are entering can differ, so confirm both before travel.
- Controlled Substances Act, 21 USC 802, 812, 813, 841 and 844 (Office of the Law Revision Counsel)
- 21 CFR 1308.11 to 1308.15 (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current as of 11 September 2026)
- 91 FR 22714, 28 April 2026, for marijuana in an approved product or under a state medical licence
- uscode.house.gov
- ecfr.gov
- federalregister.gov
Court records
We publish verified court records for United States, but have not verified one involving Khat.
Source checked United States Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys' Offices · 2026-08-31
Other substances confirmed in United States
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with United States’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 →