What is the legal status of Kava?
As a Kava grower, one of the questions I get asked the most is “What is the legal status of Kava?” Fortunately, the answer is much simpler now than in the very recent past:
In the early 2000s, demand for Kava increased dramatically as it began to make its way into the mainstream. For many years, it was also prescribed in some parts of Europe to treat anxiety; something the drug companies were probably noticing. Soon after, reports of liver damage began to emerge from a handful of people in Europe. Unfortunately, doctors were quick to blame Kava, and soon, entire countries banned this historically safe and effective herbal supplement. Three of those countries included the United States, Canada, and Germany. Others quickly followed suit, and kava’s legal status was suddenly in grave jeopardy.
But the healthcare industry fought back hard. Leading that fight was Kava’s International Executive Council (I bet you didn’t even know they existed). Despite being outdone by governments, pharmaceutical companies, and the media, the herbal industry was able to provide more than enough evidence that the ban was clearly unjustified. Furthermore, the IKEC showed that the conclusions reached should never have been reached in the first place, as it became clear that Kava was nothing more than a convenient scapegoat for the reported liver damage. While the evidence was being presented, several independent laboratories and behind-the-scenes universities were also conducting ongoing investigations, in part because a global ban on kava kava could be devastating for several economies in Oceania.
Fortunately, in a short span of time, several key pieces of evidence emerged. Perhaps the most notable came from the University of Hawaii, as reported by the Honolulu Advertiser in early 2003. It turns out that there is a poison in the leaves and shells (bark) of Kava called pipermetistine. And unsurprisingly, this poison could potentially lead to liver damage.
So what is the connection?
It turns out that once the demand for Kava skyrocketed, there wasn’t enough Kava root to meet the demand. The suppliers then knowingly or unknowingly bought the leaves and shells of the Kava plants (the parts that are always discarded as waste material) from unscrupulous growers. Until that event, the only parts of the Kava plant that were traditionally used throughout its 3,000-year history were the roots; never the husks or the leaves. On a related note: Further research revealed that a handful of people who suffered liver damage also consumed alcohol on a regular basis, restoring Kava’s place in the herbal medicine cabinet as a safe, effective, and enjoyable herbal supplement.
Or so it seemed. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Countries began lifting their Kava bans in 2003 onwards, but kava was now synonymous with “but it causes liver damage.” Nothing could be further from the truth, but the media had done its job and restoring Kava’s reputation has been an uphill battle ever since.
So where do we find ourselves with the question of the “legal status of kava”? Fortunately for many, the United States lifted its ban entirely, Canada lifted its ban on Kava if imported by individuals for personal consumption, and even Germany, where much of the original controversy arose, lifted its ban on Kava in 2007. Except for a In a handful of countries like Norway, Australia and Sweden, Kava is in fact legal all over the world once again! The Canadian Ministry of Health even gave permission to export Kava to Canada, as long as it was only for individuals.
That is an exciting victory for Kava!
Almost anyone in the world can legally enjoy Kava Kava again, and consumers can take comfort in the fact that in more than 3000 years of use and many billions of kava drinks consumed, not a single one has been reported. kava incident. liver damage from any product made solely from the roots of the plant. Always check your local laws to be sure of the legal status of Kava, but as of this writing, feel free to enjoy the many benefits of this ancient plant.