The case for the revocation of the 2002 de facto ban, and a blueprint for a safe, regulated UK kava market.
Abstract:
Kava is a 3,000 year old drink at the heart of South Pacific cultures including Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and other nations. It is most commonly traditionally prepared by steeping the roots of Piper methysticum in cold water. Containing a number of mildly psychoactive compounds that relax the body and mind, kava can be compared in strength to caffeine. Similarly to alcohol it is used both ceremonially and recreationally – King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II both consumed kava on official visits. Kava’s deep cultural and social significance is still very much alive for the thousands of Pacific islanders who have made the UK their home. Yet in 2002 it was de facto banned in the UK due to a spike in liver damage incidents. We explore the ancient cultural roots of kava, discuss its effects and demonstrate that claims that kava is toxic to the liver do not stand up to scrutiny. We make the case for the revocation of the 2002 de facto ban on kava, and imagine how this cultural export of the Pacific islands could take its place in the rich tapestry of British cultural life.
Bio: Sam Lawes - Director of Communications at the Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy (CEBDP)
Sam Lawes joined the CEBDP in November 2022 with a background in early years policy and patient voice advocacy. While working at early years charity WAVE Trust, he saw how addiction, trauma and mental ill health are often intimately intertwined. He has a psychotherapy private practice in central London and divides his time between drug policy, psychotherapy and dad duties.