Substance contains cathinone, a Public Health Law – Schedule 1 stimulant
GLENMONT – An 18-year-old Albany man with a loud muffler taught us something new this week when he was pulled over on Route 9W on Thursday, April 17.
According to reports, Amar Mehsin was traveling south in a gray Honda with a very loud tailpipe when he was stopped near Bender Lane just after midnight.
While interviewing Mehsin, the officer observed a black plastic baggie in the center console in plain view and asked him what it was. At first, Mehsin allegedly said that the green, leafy contents were tobacco, but later said that it was khat.
According to the police report, Mehsin said that the substance was very popular in his culture and was unaware that it was illegal.
Khat is a flowering evergreen shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Its use has deep roots in the cultural traditions of these regions and is known as “Bushman’s Tea.”
The fresh leaves and young shoots of the khat plant are typically chewed, much like tobacco, and retained in the cheek to release the active compounds. Less commonly, the dried leaves can be brewed into tea or made into a chewable paste. In some instances, it has been smoked or sprinkled on food.
Khat is illegal because it contains two main psychoactive substances: cathinone and cathine.
Cathinone is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States, indicating a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Cathinone levels are highest in fresh khat and decrease after harvesting.
Cathine is a Schedule IV controlled substance, with a lower potential for abuse compared to Schedule III drugs, but still with the possibility of limited physical or psychological dependence. Cathine remains more stable in the plant after harvesting.
Because these substances have stimulant effects similar to amphetamines and can lead to psychological dependence, as well as potential health issues like increased heart rate and blood pressure, insomnia, and even more severe problems with chronic use, khat is illegal in many countries, including the United States. The differing schedules for cathinone and cathine mean that even older, dried khat containing primarily cathine is still controlled.
At the traffic stop, Mehsin was read his Miranda warnings and taken into custody. The bag of khat weighed in at 28.42 grams, and Mehsin was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a stimulant, a felony, and ticketed for the muffler violation.
He was sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee and was arraigned in Guilderland Town Court later that morning by Judge Margaret Tabak, who was scheduled to cover arraignments for Bethlehem. Mehsin was released under the supervision of probation and is scheduled to appear back in Bethlehem Town Court on Tuesday, May 20.
