Anyone here know about Khat?

[Velocity]

I don't know much about it, and would like to learn more. Here's what I know, Khat is a naturally growing plant, which when chewed in a similar fashion to chewing tobacco, it produces effects which I think are like cocaine, but I'm not sure about this. It is popular mainly in africa and some areas of the midwest, but the subject of it has never come up around some who will use any drug they can get their hands on and are small time dealers in coke/pot.

The reason I am asking is I am pretty sure a half-ethiopian friend of mine is a khat distributor. He has tons of money, wears a rolex, drives a new bmw, etc..., yet his parents, though not poor are not loaded. It has been generally accepted that he dealt, but since no one I know sees people going to his house and getting stuff, I figure he must be fairly high up on the food chain.

You guys have any experience with this?

Wiki on Khat