Khat → 🇨🇦 Canada

Full details

Khat prohibited; penalties for import. Enforcement in Canada carries fines from CAD 1,000 to CAD 500,000 and imprisonment up to 5 years in aggravated cases under Customs Act s.159, s.160; Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Because khat is prohibited rather than restricted, there is no permit route for an ordinary traveller — attempted import is treated as smuggling regardless of intent. Arrival checks are carried out by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA); when in doubt use the declare (red) channel — declared goods at worst attract duty or surrender, while undeclared goods attract penalties. Leaving Canada with khat is a separate question: prohibited — Khat is a controlled substance in Canada — cathinone scheduling means there is no lawful personal export.

ENFORCEMENT

Active — Customs actively enforces this rule.

Leaving Canada with khat

Khat (Catha edulis) contains cathinone and cathine, which are scheduled substances in Canada under Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; Precursor Control Regulations — fresh khat is treated as a controlled drug, so possession and export are offences. Khat found at departure screening is seized and the carrier prosecuted under the same framework as at arrival. The plant is a licit commodity only in a small number of producing countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen); everywhere in this site's coverage of this route, carrying it across the border is unlawful.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-08-22