Why Catha... WHY!

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

Why does 30+ fresh leaves of Catha edulis (quid) have no effect on me, even before the sun has hit the plant. It's the tenth time I've tried and I'm ready to give up. Am I a catha Hard-Head?

[XipeTotec]

maybe its not catha

[Prophet]

Don't expect particularly "strong" effects from catha. Sometimes the effects can be hard to notice as well as it isn't awefully mind altering or overly stimulating. Sometimes it comes down to how it is chewed as well. You chew it slowly and in between chewings let the juice of the leaves sit there in your mouth for a while so the good stuff can be absorbed then swallow the juice. Just keep doing this and try not to chew it too quick.

[Evil Genius]

Hi Mountain sage,

change the strain and double the dose. Some Strains are weaker than others! bye Eg

[planthelper]

and the biggest factor might be how happy the plant is under your cultivation.

if a plant is not grown under ideal conditions, it's strengh might drop down to virtually nothing.

and like prophet says, the effects might not be so noticeable at all, after all one could argue that all uppers don't do much... one noticeable effect of uppers including catha is that one get's grumpy, or feels low key after the effects have worn off.

[gerbil]

How old is the plant?

Traditionally the plants are only utilised at around 8 years of age from memory, i'd imagine it'd be for consistent supply and consistent production of it's chemistry.

Not to say that younger plants can't be utilised, but it may explain a few things. Plants aren't slaves to us, have patience and expand diversity.

[shruman]

Are u using other stimulants or drugs in conjunction?

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

I thought Catha was said to be 'intoxicating' and 'a very nice stimulant' and works with less than 10 leaves etc. The plants are both around 3 yrs old, very happy but are are just the common strain. My N-L khat are all still seedlings realy, which sucks because I've already waited so long for the first 2 plants to grow. I can only fit around 15 leaves in my mouth at a time so doubling the dose also means doubling the session time. No probs with my chewing method either as I have chewed other herbs with nice results.

I don't do drugs, I just like natural solutions. So I guess I just have to wait for a few more years yet which REALY SUCKS because my will is good.

[shruman]

"I don't do drugs"

LOL, whats cathinone?

Me either by the way;)

Maybe thats where u went wrong u need the Qat with the drug cathinone in it ;)

Edited May 7, 2007 by shruman

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

Hey there shruman, I'm not surprised you find my comment confusing but I think it's just a matter of perception. I mean, does someone who drinks black tea 'do drugs'? and who's to say one drug is good or evil anyway?

I think all ethnos were given to us to use and not abuse, it all comes down to moderation.

The term 'doing drugs' is more apt for those who seek to get wasted etc, and using herbal remedies is more a medicinal thing. I'd still like to get some baseline data on the effects of this plant on my body, at the moment I'm still just trying to work out if it does anything to me at all. Anyone selling good sized NL Catha please PM me.

[shruman]

" I mean, does someone who drinks black tea 'do drugs'?"

Yes, anyone who uses coffee, chocolate, cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, parecetamol or any of the miriad of other natural drug cotaining plants, substances derived from natural sources or chemicals 'do drugs'.

I dont think any drug is inherently good or evil, use or abuse will give these drugs good or bad conotations (I dont believe in evil its a biblical term that has no relievance to me).

"I think it's just a matter of perception."

Too true

[Hellonasty]

Ok back on topic. You will definetly get a 'noticeable' effect from 30 active Catha leaves. As others said how old is the plant ? My catha is about 2 years old and prob just over a metre tall. If I roll about 6 leaves, of average size say 10cm long, into a quid within about 15mins a very 'noticeable' buzz and pulsing in the head can be felt. Definetly a stimulant feeling. If the dose is repeated the stimulating properties don't really increase but a more intoxicated high is felt.

What strain is the plant ?

Edited May 9, 2007 by Hellonasty

[Guest homoGenius]

I think the norrow leaf variety is a marketing gimick that the EB vendors pushed at one point. Every NL plant that I have ever chewed from (4 different growers and about 8 different trees) has produced ZILCH in the way of effects. It's my personal opinion that people have been had. I know I'm sensitive to Khat because shit quality imported bundles I've bought from African vendors have produced effects with 10-20 leaves. The other thing that totally sucks about the so called NL is the pendulous habit. It never thickens up and grows as a prostrate ground cover unless always staked.

[planthelper]

I think the norrow leaf variety is a marketing gimick that the EB vendors pushed at one point. Every NL plant that I have ever chewed from (4 different growers and about 8 different trees) has produced ZILCH in the way of effects. It's my personal opinion that people have been had. I know I'm sensitive to Khat because shit quality imported bundles I've bought from African vendors have produced effects with 10-20 leaves. The other thing that totally sucks about the so called NL is the pendulous habit. It never thickens up and grows as a prostrate ground cover unless always staked.

for me the narrowleaved, doesn't give me much of a buzz, but it makes me feel intoxicated, which is quite ok.

staking plants in general and specialy the nl is not a good idea, as only trunks and branches which have to fight the elements, will grow strong and upright. similar as our muscels go weaker if they are in a cast, plants stay limp if stalked.

your post tells me that you are very inexpierienced with plants, anyhow although the nl is more bushy in appereance, compared to the broad leaved qat, it will grow very tall and become a tree one can climb in.

what you mean about gimick, i don't know, i took a single cutting from one of the big trees which used to grow in the rbg syd and others must have done the same...

nl was sold a bit more expensive because it is a more difficult to strike cutting than the broad leaved variety.

having said this, it's more likely that the other plants of the nl kind had been raised by seed, which means you have o wait a long time before you can sell the plant.

i allways sold nl for very little money, and can tell you that it's one of my favorite plants!!!

home genius, i don't think anybody ever marketed the nl saying it's strong in the sence of beeing an upper, we all just think it's a very beautyfull, majestic plant.

everybody here knows that the nl is different to the bl, in a sence of not beeing an upper, but more of an inebriant, it's only because of youe false expectations that you claim people have been had.

the big nl trees which once grew in sydney, got eaten up by somalis, maybe they noticed aswell that it's effects were different, but regardless they took so often leaves from it it died.

certainly they would not have done so if the effects were as you claim zilch.

it's obvious to me that you don't know much about plants and catha edulis in general,

instead of giving information which could be beneficial to the people who love growing qat,

you simply accuse some people of basicly coneing others,

which is totaly not the case.

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

Why don't you both shut up! (just kidding)

Is it possible that some people wouldn't get the effects as strongly as others do.

Is there much variation in the strength between (seed-grown) plants from the same parent?

Or a seed grown plant producing much stronger or weaker effects than it's parent did?

I guess I should offer some of my leaves to a more experienced khat chewer than myself.

My NL khat seedlings have a much stronger smell when crushed which makes me think they would probably be more potent. But now I'm not so sure...