Latest news with #kava
Associated Press
12-08-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Kava Coalition Statement on the Safety and Legal Protection of Kava in the United States
The Kava Coalition affirms its unwavering commitment to defend kava as a safe, lawful, and culturally protected food in the United States. Recent court actions, including the decision in Kavasutra v. Adams, relied on outdated and discredited allegations of liver toxicity from a 2002 German case. That case, and others like it, have long been dismissed by the scientific community as flawed and unsupported by credible evidence. In the more than two decades since, peer-reviewed research and decades of safe consumption have shown no causal link between kava beverages and liver harm. Kava has been consumed safely in the United States for over 100 years, both as part of the cultural heritage of the people of Hawaii and American Samoa, and among the broader Pacific Island diaspora. Its traditional preparation, which is cold-water extraction of the peeled root, has been practiced in the South Pacific for over 3,000 years, with no evidence of harm when consumed in its customary form. Additionally, extractions of kava using CO₂ have shown no evidence of harm. The recent judicial determination that kava prepared at kava bars is unsafe and considered an adulterated product stands in stark contradiction to the accepted treatment of other botanicals that are routinely steeped in water and sold as teas, such as moringa, hibiscus, chamomile, and countless other herbal infusions, none of which are classified as unsafe or adulterated when prepared in this way. Singling out kava for this treatment ignores both scientific evidence and longstanding cultural practices. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Botanical Safety Handbook, available at affirms kava's long history of safe use. The updated edition distinguishes between traditional kava, which is water-based extracts, and contemporary kava products, which use organic-based extraction methods. It notes that the association between liver injury and organic-based methods is tenuous at best, and that poor quality control - such as use of inappropriate plant parts, improper extraction methods, combinations with chemical additives, and improper drying - may be the real culprits in past safety concerns. The handbook's safety review includes all human clinical trial results and finds that liver injury is extremely rare and only tenuously correlated to kava. It also documents kava's use as a food in the United States prior to 1958, including documented sales in the 1915 Sears catalog, demonstrating that its presence in American commerce predates modern food additive laws. While the FDA does not currently recognize kava as GRAS, the Hawaii State Department of Health has formally rejected that position and declared kava GRAS in Hawaii, a status also recognized and granted one year earlier in Michigan State. Importantly, in March 2025, the United States Food and Drug Administration confirmed in written correspondence that 'a tea produced from kava and water alone is considered a single-ingredient conventional food' and 'would generally not be regulated as a food additive if the tea is consumed as food.' This position, consistent with prior FDA communications and the agency's 2023 adoption of the Codex Alimentarius Regional Standard for Kava Products, makes clear that traditional kava beverages are not prohibited under federal law when prepared with water alone. Federal law clearly recognizes kava, when steeped in water, as a food under 21 U.S.C. § 321(f). Attempts by state or municipal authorities to redefine kava as an adulterant directly conflict with federal jurisdiction over food and are subject to preemption under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution. The Kava Coalition will continue to support kava bars and other businesses serving traditionally prepared kava as a single-ingredient beverage. We will challenge regulatory overreach, defend against misinformation, and protect the rights of Pacific Islanders and all Americans to enjoy this important part of our shared cultural heritage. Kava is more than a beverage. It is a tradition, a livelihood, and a bridge between cultures. We intend to see it treated in law as it has been in history: as a safe, respected, and protected food. About Kava Coalition Kava Coalition is an alliance of kava consumers, experts, and industry leaders committed to advancing kava education, advocacy, and choice. The Kava Coalition aims to empower informed decisions about kava, promoting responsible consumption while understanding the importance of preserving kava's history and cultural heritage. For more information, visit Media Contact Patrick George +1 916-202-1982 [email protected] ### SOURCE: Kava Coalition Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
Associated Press
07-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Botanic Tonics Introduces Kava Maté: Ancient Botanical Traditions Unite to Create Revolutionary Energy Experience
Noble kava root and yerba mate combine to transform the energy category Botanic Tonics, the leader in kava-centric botanical supplements, today announced the launch of Kava Maté, a groundbreaking formula that unites two ancient botanical traditions — noble kava root and yerba mate — to create an energy experience greater than the sum of its parts. This innovative pairing delivers sustained, grounded energy without the crashes and jitters associated with conventional stimulants, designed specifically to meet the consumer demand for clean, plant-based alternatives. Kava Maté brings together two revered botanicals with deep cultural roots that have been trusted for centuries. Noble kava root, ceremonially cherished throughout Pacific Island cultures for more than 3,000 years, provides mental clarity while maintaining calm. Yerba mate, valued by indigenous South American communities for centuries, delivers natural sustained energy. Together, they create Botanic Tonics' signature 'chilled energy:" a balanced state of alert calm, ideal for transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for presence. 'Kava Maté represents the convergence of two botanical traditions that have never before been united in this way with a respect for culture and clean energy at the core,' said Cameron Korehbandi, CEO of Botanic Tonics. 'The magic happens in the synergy: what these plants create together transcends what either can achieve alone. We've eliminated the false choice between energy and calm by harnessing the complementary properties of these time-honored botanicals. The daily commute, the afternoon work slump, routine tasks — these ordinary moments become opportunities for presence and purpose with Kava Maté.' Kava Maté is packaged in Botanic Tonics' signature blue glass bottle with a gold top, containing two servings per bottle. Like all Botanic Tonics products, Kava Maté is manufactured in the company's FDA-registered, cGMP-certified production facility in Oklahoma, ensuring uncompromising quality. 'What makes this botanical pairing revolutionary is how these plants enhance each other's benefits,' explained Ramsey Atallah, chief science officer at Botanic Tonics. 'Yerba mate provides sustained energy without the sudden crashes associated with conventional stimulants. When united with kava's unique calming properties, we've created a synergistic effect that optimizes cognitive function while maintaining calm. Our rigorous testing confirms this combination delivers the perfect balance of actives to quickly initiate a state of focus and relaxation, a truly unique experience unavailable from any other product or single botanical.' Kava Maté joins Botanic Tonics' existing line of premium botanical supplements, including feel free CLASSIC and feel free. Botanic Tonics continues to lead innovation in the functional botanical space, maintaining its commitment to botanical wisdom, scientific rigor, and consumer education. Kava Maté is now available for purchase online at and will roll out to select retail locations nationwide throughout summer 2025. To learn more or purchase Botanic Tonic products, visit About Botanic Tonics Botanic Tonics is a plant-based, herbal supplement company headquartered in Broken Arrow, OK. Established in 2020, we produce kava-centric tonics under our feel free brand. Our signature product, feel free CLASSIC, is crafted with ancient functional plants to provide mood lift, chilled energy, and enhanced focus. Botanic Tonics' products are manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility, and we actively support consumer safety regulations through transparent labeling and educational resources. Learn more at Disclaimer Consume responsibly. feel free CLASSIC is for adults 21 years of age and older only. To learn more, visit our Consumer Education page. Media Contact Botanic Tonics [email protected] ### SOURCE: Botanic Tonics Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
Reuters
07-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Botanic Tonics Introduces Kava Maté: Ancient Botanical Traditions Unite to Create Revolutionary Energy Experience
BROKEN ARROW, OK, July 7, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Botanic Tonics, opens new tab, the leader in kava-centric botanical supplements, today announced the launch of Kava Maté, a groundbreaking formula that unites two ancient botanical traditions — noble kava root and yerba mate — to create an energy experience greater than the sum of its parts. This innovative pairing delivers sustained, grounded energy without the crashes and jitters associated with conventional stimulants, designed specifically to meet the consumer demand for clean, plant-based alternatives. Cultural Heritage Meets Modern Performance Kava Maté brings together two revered botanicals with deep cultural roots that have been trusted for centuries. Noble kava root, ceremonially cherished throughout Pacific Island cultures for more than 3,000 years, provides mental clarity while maintaining calm. Yerba mate, valued by indigenous South American communities for centuries, delivers natural sustained energy. Together, they create Botanic Tonics' signature "chilled energy:" a balanced state of alert calm, ideal for transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for presence. "Kava Maté represents the convergence of two botanical traditions that have never before been united in this way with a respect for culture and clean energy at the core," said Cameron Korehbandi, CEO of Botanic Tonics. "The magic happens in the synergy: what these plants create together transcends what either can achieve alone. We've eliminated the false choice between energy and calm by harnessing the complementary properties of these time-honored botanicals. The daily commute, the afternoon work slump, routine tasks — these ordinary moments become opportunities for presence and purpose with Kava Maté." The Botanic Tonics Difference Kava Maté is packaged in Botanic Tonics' signature blue glass bottle with a gold top, containing two servings per bottle. Like all Botanic Tonics products, Kava Maté is manufactured in the company's FDA-registered, cGMP-certified production facility in Oklahoma, ensuring uncompromising quality. "What makes this botanical pairing revolutionary is how these plants enhance each other's benefits," explained Ramsey Atallah, chief science officer at Botanic Tonics. "Yerba mate provides sustained energy without the sudden crashes associated with conventional stimulants. When united with kava's unique calming properties, we've created a synergistic effect that optimizes cognitive function while maintaining calm. Our rigorous testing confirms this combination delivers the perfect balance of actives to quickly initiate a state of focus and relaxation, a truly unique experience unavailable from any other product or single botanical." Kava Maté joins Botanic Tonics' existing line of premium botanical supplements, including feel free CLASSIC, opens new tab and feel free, opens new tab. Botanic Tonics continues to lead innovation in the functional botanical space, maintaining its commitment to botanical wisdom, scientific rigor, and consumer education. Kava Maté is now available for purchase online, opens new tab at opens new tab and will roll out to select retail locations nationwide throughout summer 2025. To learn more or purchase Botanic Tonic products, visit opens new tab. About Botanic Tonics Botanic Tonics is a plant-based, herbal supplement company headquartered in Broken Arrow, OK. Established in 2020, we produce kava-centric tonics under our feel free brand. Our signature product, feel free CLASSIC, is crafted with ancient functional plants to provide mood lift, chilled energy, and enhanced focus. Botanic Tonics' products are manufactured in an FDA-registered, cGMP-certified facility, and we actively support consumer safety regulations through transparent labeling and educational resources. Learn more at opens new tab. Disclaimer Consume responsibly. feel free CLASSIC is for adults 21 years of age and older only. To learn more, visit our Consumer Education page, opens new tab. Media Contact Botanic Tonicsmedia@ ### SOURCE: Botanic Tonics Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
ABC News
05-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
A kava boom is unfolding across the Pacific — but some leaders warn it's hurting families
Michael Louze has seen a kava-led boom unfolding on the roads of Vanuatu's remote islands. Over the 25 years he's exported the crop, he's never seen prices so high — or growers so flush with cash. Exporters say kava is generating vast amounts of income as its popularity grows overseas — including in Australia. Mr Louze believes it is because the beverage, known for its calming effects, is becoming a more "mainstream" daily habit outside the Pacific Islands. "You've got your coffee in the morning to have a bit of a boost and you've got your own kava in the afternoon to unwind a bit [at the end] of the day," he said. It's become easier to find in Australia, after Woolworths followed Coles in stocking kava powder in June — a decision the supermarket giant attributes to customer demand. Exporters predict Australia's budding appetite for kava will help grow the market in the Pacific, now valued between $2.2 and $3 billion — about the same size as the GDP of Solomon Islands. But as kava becomes more popular across the Pacific, local leaders say it comes with social costs, and that profits should be balanced with public health. With its muddy colour and earthy flavour, kava is an acquired taste for some. But across the Pacific, it carries deep cultural and spiritual meaning. "Kava has for many, many, many years, centuries, been seen as part of what we do to create community," said Jioji Ravulo, professor of social work and policy studies at the University of Sydney. Kava has traditionally been grown and consumed in Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga, where it's long been used in ceremonies and more recently has become commercialised. But it's also now being imported and growing in popularity in countries like Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Professor Ravulo said kava was becoming better known and understood around the world. "It's being packaged in different ways, shapes and forms," he said. "It's been around for generations, hundreds, probably thousands of years and it seems now is the moment that the rest of the world is interested in it. Professor Ravulo said most people feel "chilled, laid back" after drinking kava. But while health authorities say evidence suggests that kava is not addictive, Professor Ravulo said as with any substance, it can be abused. In Kiribati, local leaders say its introduction has raised problems that could lead to "dire consequences" if unaddressed. Ruth Cross Kwansing, Kiribati's Minister for Women, Youth and Sport, said kava had taken the country "by storm". And, while it's a source of cash elsewhere in the Pacific, it's mainly a drain on income in Kiribati. It costs $100 a kilogram, and it's estimated that Kiribati spent $28 million on Vanuatu-imported kava in the past 12 months. Ms Kwansing said locals are using their welfare benefits to buy it. "The government's working so hard to lift people out of poverty and all of its negative impacts, only to realise that it's being invested into kava," she said. Ms Kwansing said some men were spending "copious amounts of time" away from their families drinking kava. "If they're spending all the money on kava then where's the funds that the family needs for food and basic essentials? "They're exhausted from spending the entire night in a kava bar, then the next day … they're not going fishing, and they're not being productive around the house." But exporter Michael Louze, who has noticed the success of kava bars in Kiribati, believes it's a better alternative to other substances like alcohol. Professor Ravulo said education would help prevent kava's popularity creating social problems. "It's all about educating its users to be informed about its impacts on the body, but also on other elements to their wellbeing, including their connection to others like significant partners, their children, their family and their community," he said. Fe'iloakitau Kaho Tevi, chairman of Tonga's National Kava Committee, said for some the crop was considered a "bank". "If [farmers] want to pay a school fee … they will go and uproot one, two, three, four plants, and that is what allows them to pay," he said. On kava-growing islands like Pentecost and Santo in Vanuatu, the signs of a kava cash boom are abundant, Mr Louze said. "You'll see the number of vehicles, you'll see better houses, water systems, solar systems, farmers investing in land in town, building houses," he said. Fiji kava exporter Praveen Narayan said that demand from buyers had increased 300 per cent over the past six months. And it's driving up kava root prices in Fiji, which have grown from $40 to $100 per kilogram since November. "Whoever has got kava will demand the price," he said. Mr Narayan, who grows his own kava, said consumption in Australia was driving his sales. Seventy per cent of his product goes to Australian buyers, who have overtaken his United States customers as his largest market. "The American market is becoming more saturated, there's so many buyers now coming in and exporting to the US, undercutting [other exporters]," he said. For now, the challenge for Pacific Island growers and exporters is keeping up with demand. Mr Louze said it was hard finding enough workers to help produce more kava, with many young people doing seasonal work in Australia and New Zealand. "Kava-producing nations are quite small in size, with a lot of challenges in terms of scaling up the production," he said. "The absence of those youths in the farms is a limitation for kava development."
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kava Coalition Reports Safe and High-Quality Products in Inaugural Quarterly Market Survey
Quarterly kava report aims to ensure consumer safety by testing commercially available kava products and ingredient levels As part of its mission to raise standards and ensure the long-term success of the kava industry, the Kava Coalition released its inaugural quarterly market survey report, " Q1 2025 Quarterly Report on Commercially Available Kava Products,' this week. This initiative marks an important step toward self-regulation and reflects the industry's commitment to transparency, consumer confidence, and product quality. This is the first report of 2025, with additional assessments planned throughout the year. By continuing these market evaluations, the Kava Coalition aims to support a strong, responsible, and sustainable kava industry—one that protects consumers, producers, and vendors alike from the potential consequences of poor-quality products entering the market. A total of 41 commercial kava products from 17 different brands were analyzed by Cambium Analytica, an independent laboratory accredited to international standards. Each product was tested for key active kavalactones as well as important safety parameters, including heavy metals, microbial content, moisture, pesticide residues, and mycotoxins. All products tested showed the chemical profile of authentic noble kava, known for its desirable effects and the presence of kavain and dihydrokavain. 'The Kava Coalition and the kava industry at large are working together to build a marketplace that consumers can trust,' said Douglas La Rose, executive director of the Kava Coalition. 'This report represents a milestone in our effort to create a culture of quality, accountability, and shared responsibility across the value chain—from farm to shell.' The Kava Coalition will continue to lead efforts that promote best practices across the supply chain and align with international standards such as the Harmonized Multinational Kava Standard. Ongoing testing, education, and collaboration will be central to protecting the integrity of kava and supporting the communities who depend on it. The Kava Coalition remains firmly committed to advancing product quality and consumer protection. It continues to support compliance with the Harmonized Multinational Kava Standard and promotes best practices throughout the kava supply chain. Kava Coalition's harmonized standards are based on international guidelines related to other botanicals and can be viewed in this standards document. To review the 'Q1 2025 Quarterly Report on Commercially Available Kava Products,' read the full report. About Kava Coalition Kava Coalition is an alliance of kava consumers, experts, and industry leaders committed to advancing kava education, advocacy, and choice. The Kava Coalition aims to empower informed decisions about kava, promoting responsible consumption while understanding the importance of preserving kava's history and cultural heritage. For more information, visit Media Contact Patrick George +1 916-202-1982 [email protected] ### SOURCE: Kava Coalition Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
