Their khat deemed legal, Ethiopian immigrant couple wants it back (Herald Tribune0

When they are fresh, khat leaves contain cathinone, a chemical that produces euphoria when chewed. Cathinone is illegal under Minnesota and federal law.
But within 48 hours of harvest, the leaves' chemical composition tends to break down to the point where they contain a much milder chemical called cathine. That is what is usually found in graba, the dried khat leaves, which users often steep in tea to get their high....more