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ORE Indcpendcnt icicnti;lc Article [ rmrnittro::n Dol{s nm6 Stena, Polity and law Volume s 13 4'J S" ti ltitll= r .t<Ida' The toaeagvsee 19 is nea i .. u r r <; mxewnann, innrnai, ron„an., as ?h, w'' ny � 0 oon ml ITU2050324519676131 inumae.:ails rnmrnnmera:p (JS SAGE S Apo Aporosa Abstract What seemed impossible 50 years ago is today becoming a reality as 'soft drugs'such as cannabis are being decriminalized and accepted for their calming effects as well as their legitimate medicinal properties. Several countries have now made the possession of cannabis legal, with others considering this, while the coffee shops in the Netherlands have been supplying cannabis in different forms for many years. It is now the turn of kava to be re-evaluated, to see whether there are properties in this plant that might be readily substituted for more conventional and harmful drugs, for instance tobacco and alcohol. However, as highlighted by Norton and Ruee (1994), kava like cannabis, has an enduring reputation that still makes it difficult for many to accept. Kava has been mythologized as an illicit alcohol, highly addictive, and causing physical harm. When examining the history of kava use in traditional contexts and considering the evidence now available, it is possible to demythologize this characterization. Looking at the potential benefits, it is time to re -brand kava, not only on the grounds as a relaxant, but in possessing life enhancing medicinal properties and as an alternative to alcohol, understanding that will be beneficial to policy makers, doctors and pharmacists. Keywords kava, addiction, alcohol, harm, liver, misunderstanding, myth This article aims to challenge the historical denigration and denial of the benefits of kava. To achieve this, the article will look at the origin of the kava drink and its usage in a traditional context, followed by an analysis of the negative portrayal of kava, from the time of Captain James Cook (1770x) to the present. This will include an analysis of the myth that kava can cause liver damage, induce drunkenness and incapacitate kava users, and Irad to addiction. This article will also consider death and harm statistics related to tobacco and alcohol use which are compared with the effects of kava drinking on consumers and those impacted by kava use The final section will report on the international uptake of kava and new forms of kava use as pan of the re -branding that continues to face opposition. Critical to this discussion is a definition of kava, par- ticularly with kava's recent `modification' into tablet; capsule form sold from pharmacies and health -food out- lets. or the mixing of kava with other substances to create pop -culture foods and beverages. Kava expert Ur Vincent Lebot assists in establishing that kava defin- ition for this article. In a recent interview he stated. 'Kava is kava; it is the traditional beverage prepared by cold water extraction of the ground organs of the plant Piper Methyst&um [which will be explained shortly], and nothing else' (Blades, 2018). This also aligns with the Government of Vanuatu's definition of Lava within their Kava Act (GoV, 2002) and New Zealand where kava is regulated as a 'food' under the Food Standards Code (New Zealand Government, 2015). This article will be useful to policy makers and also doctors and pharmacists who are often a first point of information for those seeking knowledge on the safe use of new drugs and natural medicines. Kava, yaqona, sakaa, 'ava, 'awl, is a drink made by steeping the wet crushed or dry pounded roots and The University of Walkao. New Zealand Corresponding author: S Apo Atoms, Te Huatzki Waiom School of Health, The University of Waikato, Private gag 3105, Hamilton 3240. New Zealand. Email alk—icor sa@vrailose.e.nz