Its fresh leaves and tops are chewed or, less frequently, dried and consumed as tea, to achieve a state of euphoria and stimulation; it also has anorectic (appetite-reducing) side effects. The leaves or the soft part of the stem can be chewed with either chewing gum or fried peanuts to make it easier to chew. In recent years, however, improved roads, off-road motor vehicles, and air transportation have increased the global distribution of this perishable commodity, and as a result, the plant has been reported in England, Wales, Rome, Amsterdam, Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. In the US, freshly packed khat leaves are sold on the markets of New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Dallas, where the demand is highest. Traditionally, khat is used as a socialising drug as in Yemen where khat-chewing is predominantly a male habit.