Like tea, the smallest and newest qat leaves are considered the most desirable. Unlike tea, qat must be as fresh and tender as possible when consumed.

The peoples of Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa, and Southern Arabia have enjoyed qat for millenia.

I tried qat in Ethiopia, where it's legal, and really liked it. It combines stimulant and euphoric properties. I found the effects of chewing the leaves from a single stem lasted half an hour or so. That was the first time I'd ever tried it. It's possible regular users develop a tolerance that requires chewing more leaves and/or chewing leaves more frequently to achieve the same effects. Darn - that's another question I forgot to ask!