Doctors have issued a warning about severe heart problems associated with chewing Khat leaves.
The dangers of the drug have been highlighted by the case of a young man who suffered a major heart attack.
Long-term use could also increase risk of liver damage, and esophageal cancer, warns a report in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The Home Office has ruled out a ban on the drug - a mild stimulant which is popular in the Somali community.
Writing in the journal, doctors from the Heart Hospital in London said there needed to be more awareness among doctors of harmful effects of chewing khat. They report the case of a 33-year old man who was admitted to hospital with a heart attack, after constantly chewing the drug for two to three days.