Today, the Kava Coalition, renewed their call to lawmakers to make kava legal in the United Kingdom (U.K.) following a recent high-profile photo op of King Charles III sipping kava in a Samoan ceremony.
On October 24, King Charles and Queen Camilla were officially welcomed to Samoa in the home village of the head of state, Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II. King Charles was handed a kava drink known locally as ‘ava’ and, honoring the Samoan custom, poured some on the ground and then took a sip.
Dr. Simon Gellar, PhD., is a leading researcher on the consumption and economy of kava and serves as the Kava Coalition's subject matter expert. He commended the ceremony and noted that E.U. and U.K. rules governing kava’s sale and consumption reflected misunderstandings about kava.
The Samoan episode further demonstrates the benefits of trade in Kava between countries, particularly emerging South Pacific economies. Countries such as Samoa can experience positive social mobility via the demand for Kava from Western countries. Prolonged prohibition only hurts these emerging economies, which are particularly vulnerable to economic losses in a global economy.
“Kava culture in the U.K. and E.U. lacks historical context and has unfairly faced bias due to unfamiliarity and flawed beliefs,” said Dr. Gellar. “If the U.K. were serious about giving consumers a choice, they would acknowledge this bias and consider access to kava as a beverage alternative.”
In 2003, products containing kava were banned in the U.K. because of concerns about toxic effects on the liver. More recent analyses of these studies have questioned the findings and raised skepticism.
Dr. Gellar’s research, a soon-to-be-published paper titled "Elixir of the South Pacific or Harmful Muddy Water: Examining the Consumption of Kava from a Cross-Cultural Perspective and the Lived Experience of Macro-Level Social Processes,” documents kava’s long history and debunks health claims raised against it. The study is slated to be published and disseminated through peer-reviewed channels later this year.
“Millions of people around the world enjoy kava daily with little or no adverse reactions,” said Dr. Gellar. “Evidence supporting prohibition of kava anywhere around the world is suspect at best, or flat out erroneous at worst. It is time for the U.K. to take the lead and revisit then reinstate kava once and for all.”
According to news reports, Queen Elizabeth also participated in a similar kava sipping ceremony in 1977.
“If U.K. citizens at the highest levels of society and diplomacy can consume kava without restriction, then it seems natural the same privilege should extend to U.K. and E.U. residents,” said Dr. Gellar. “Very few people have the luxury of traveling around the world to access a plant-based substance that could be easily available locally in a regulated marketplace.”
About the Kava Coalition
Kava Coalition (KC) is a global alliance of kava consumers, experts, and industry leaders committed to advancing kava education, advocacy, and choice. Through educational initiatives and community engagement, KC promotes awareness and appreciation for kava’s traditional practices and cultural significance. Simultaneously, KC advocates for modern regulation that reflects current scientific knowledge, ensuring consumer safety and product integrity.
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