The tropical evergreen plant called "chat" in Ethiopia (Catha edulis, aka qatt, jaad, or khat) has been widely used as a stimulant in east Africa and southern Arabia since antiquity.

Chat is legal in several countries, including Ethiopia and some of its neighbors. Chat is illegal in other countries, including the U.S.

Chat users prefer to chew the newest leaves from freshly-harvested stems. For this reason, fresh chat stems are bought and sold at daily markets.