Do you want kava to stay legal? DO SOMETHING!

[ApéroNoble]

So from all the kava bars I reached out to so far, I have received two responses back. They are as follows:

Response one:
As for SITSA: we welcome it. Although this specifically targets substance that "is substantially similar" to a controlled substance, no one reading the bill would see the stretch to kava. Furthermore, we welcome a littleregulation to the kava market - it wouldn't hurt and it would ensure people were getting the best quality product - we're actually pushing for it to make sure Tudei's and the like are kept out.

Response two:
We are aware of this bill although they aren’t coming for kava. The bill would definitely affect K@ though. Kava has already been approved by the FDA.
We are fighting this for the affect it could have on K@.
Thanks for spreading the word!

I will leave them anonymous, but its clear how vague and confusing this bill is, I guess that's the whole point.

I understand when people have fear they often close their eyes or naively attempt to elude reality. It is a reaction I think most of us may be familiar with. Sometimes it is easier just to take the blue pill. I am not sure one should force reality upon another.

Sometimes I don't want to deal with reality either, but I also realize that by doing so it may be only a matter of time before cold hard reality makes itself known.

Regarding their comments on Tudei. I am against the unethical practice of mixing Tudei with Noble kava. Customers should not be tricked into putting something in their body that they don't want to consume.

I am not sure I understand their stance on Tudei. If an individual understands that Tudei is only to be used very sparingly and they know the risk; is it really any worse on the liver than alcohol?

In my opinion they are obtusely ignorant of the pharmaceutical lobbyist largly behind this bill and the vague language of the bill to forward their agenda. This bill bypasses the normal way that something becomes made illegal. It leaves nearly all the power to decide up to Jeff Sessions.

That the pharmaceutical industry is lobbying to monopolize people's health is no longer a conspiracy theory to the majority of the public. This bill is over reaching and kava may get caught up in it if this bill passes the Senate.

Although I guess it is good to see that some still have enough trust in our officals to think that they will read the bill in a certain way, I do not share that trust. In the end, the pitiful thing is that this is about control and getting the money flowing the right way.

 

[Señor Chuggs]

I emailed my senators and asked that legislative effort be concentrated on known contributors to the opiate epidemic, for which there are decades worth of knowledge, rather than blame the whole issue on designer drugs.

 

[Travis]

Here's the response I received.

June 29, 2018

Dear travis,

Thank you for contacting me about controlled substances. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the Controlled Substances Act empowers the Attorney General, acting through the Drug Enforcement Administration, to restrict access, production, and distribution of prescription drugs and illicit chemicals like that have the potential for significant abuse. For instance, heroin is a "Schedule I" substance, having no medical use and a high potential for abuse whereas many opioid painkillers are Schedule II drugs (a high potential for abuse and limited medical usage).

Specific to your concerns, S. 1327, introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), would amend the Controlled Substances Act to give the Attorney General the authority to schedule substances that are chemically analogous to already controlled drugs under a new classification known as "Schedule A." The bill would treat "Schedule A" substances the same as Schedule III drugs for purposes of enforcement and criminal penalties. Additionally, substances with effects on the nervous system that are substantially similar to those of scheduled drugs would be eligible for Schedule A designation. S. 1327 is currently pending before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member.

I understand that many individuals who have used K@ consider it to be a safe alternative to other painkillers and appreciate knowing your views on this legislation. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as this measure makes its way through the legislative process.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,
Pat Toomey

 

[The Kap'n]

Here's the response I received.

June 29, 2018

Dear travis,

Thank you for contacting me about controlled substances. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the Controlled Substances Act empowers the Attorney General, acting through the Drug Enforcement Administration, to restrict access, production, and distribution of prescription drugs and illicit chemicals like that have the potential for significant abuse. For instance, heroin is a "Schedule I" substance, having no medical use and a high potential for abuse whereas many opioid painkillers are Schedule II drugs (a high potential for abuse and limited medical usage).

Specific to your concerns, S. 1327, introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), would amend the Controlled Substances Act to give the Attorney General the authority to schedule substances that are chemically analogous to already controlled drugs under a new classification known as "Schedule A." The bill would treat "Schedule A" substances the same as Schedule III drugs for purposes of enforcement and criminal penalties. Additionally, substances with effects on the nervous system that are substantially similar to those of scheduled drugs would be eligible for Schedule A designation. S. 1327 is currently pending before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member.

I understand that many individuals who have used K@ consider it to be a safe alternative to other painkillers and appreciate knowing your views on this legislation. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as this measure makes its way through the legislative process.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,
Pat Toomey

Did you contact them about kava and they responded about krat? My biggest worry is and has been kava being confused with K@. I've heard of kava bar owners writing their senators asking them not to ban "kava and K@", as if it were one thing. Let's hope those in charge are spry enough to be fully informed of the difference between them when the times comes to make a decision.

 

[Travis]

Did you contact them about kava and they responded about krat? My biggest worry is and has been kava being confused with K@. I've heard of kava bar owners writing their senators asking them not to ban "kava and K@", as if it were one thing. Let's hope those in charge are spry enough to be fully informed of the difference between them when the times comes to make a decision.

If I recall correctly, I didn't mention either

 

[Atticus]

This country's politicians crack me up sometime. Cigarettes, alcohol and fast food kill more people than most of these things ever will by a thousand fold. But, they are going to focus on natural means that MAY help to offset pharmaceutical addictions, opioid addictions and countless reliances on manmade substances that are harmful. It's like there is a fire engulfing a room and the fire department is trying to put out the pilot light for the water heater instead of the 10 foot flames.
One caveat to this. I'm mainly referring to it's possible implications with Kava. Don't know much about K@ to be honest.

 

[kastom_lif]

Yesterday I bought a bottle of generic Benadryl (diphenhydramine) for the first time in several years. They had the bottles on a shelf like usual, but locked up in individual plastic anti-theft boxes.

What the heck? I didn't even know benadryl was used to cook anything.

And on a slightly more opioid-related tangent, I noted that the Immodium was not in medicine-jail. Just sitting on the shelf all regular like. Yet there I was having to show ID to buy a dang antihistamine.

 

[Thuja]

I'm staying in one of my hometown college dorm rooms (because there are no month to month rentals around here) while I await my start date for the federal job i applied for after finishing my degree, and using their internet, kavaforums.com is blocked because it is a drug of abuse according to the message on my screen. The mindset of many people is still stuck way in the past and/or they believe any propaganda they are spoon fed by our so called anti biased main media.

 

[Plantacious]

A lot of people probably already know this, but for those who don't, you can keep up with these legislative acts and recommendations on how to respond, by staying in touch with American K@ Association, both through their website and their Facebok page. Daily updates, and excellent legal insight and instructions by their experts.

 

[Plantacious]

I'm staying in one of my hometown college dorm rooms (because there are no month to month rentals around here) while I await my start date for the federal job i applied for after finishing my degree, and using their internet, kavaforums.com is blocked because it is a drug of abuse according to the message on my screen.

This perhaps should serve as warning that steps have begun, a little at a time, towards targeting kava legally

 

[ThePiper]

That's crazy they block stuff like that anyway. I guess they have no interest in education and harm reduction for those who inevitably experiment in college.

 

[kastom_lif]

This perhaps should serve as warning that steps have begun, a little at a time, towards targeting kava legally

I don't normally share personal details, but when I was a federal employee, they didn't care about kava or kr@ even the slightest bit. When the state made kr@ a felony, that herb became a no-no because of the criminal stigma.

Employers are mainly worried about liablity: are you a reliable worker, are you at risk of getting in legal trouble, etc.

Back when it was legal, I tried kr@ and found that it was indeed addictive with an ugly physical withdrawal. Kava, on the other hand, has never driven any urges to seek more kava. Regular kava intake even reduces compulsions to comsume other things.

I wish medical people and lawmakers would educate themselves before passing laws. Even K@, with appropriate cautions, deserves a legal place in society.

 

[Kavashua]

I'm staying in one of my hometown college dorm rooms (because there are no month to month rentals around here) while I await my start date for the federal job i applied for after finishing my degree, and using their internet, kavaforums.com is blocked because it is a drug of abuse according to the message on my screen. The mindset of many people is still stuck way in the past and/or they believe any propaganda they are spoon fed by our so called anti biased main media.

This is fairly common, I see it often especially in hospitals. I always use up my data cruising the forums when my wife has a appointment

 

[The Kap'n]

This perhaps should serve as warning that steps have begun, a little at a time, towards targeting kava legally

I wouldn't let that seeming indicator worry you too much. They've likely blanketed the word "kava" in their network filters. It wont be the first and definitely not the last to block us on the grounds that we discuss "drugs". Society is still overwhelmingly closed minded to the issue, but people are starting to become a bit more open to the confounding reality that not all drugs are addictive. It's a reality we're just beginning to wake up to.

 

[Plantacious]

I wouldn't let that seeming indicator worry you too much. They've likely blanketed the word "kava" in their network filters. It wont be the first and definitely not the last to block us on the grounds that we discuss "drugs".

Well it's not only that, but the fact that ebay has banned kava sales, too.
Then there's these legislative bills with such broad language it looks like they're set up to target a lot of botanicals.
I've heard people say that there's no way they would go after kava, because there's no way they could justify it - however - there's no way they can justify going after [email protected] look...

 

[PapaMoi]

It really chaps my posterior that our blessed government, bigpharma, and other such entities are so ignorant of kava. Or maybe it's not ignorance but rather knowing how innocent some of this stuff is and going ahead and turning it into a witchhunt anyway. Sounds crazy, but I really do believe that big brother wants to keep certain healing and beneficial things out of the reach of common people, for fear of them getting better and actually healing. God forbid someone actually overcomes prescription pain killer addiction by using kava instead. Or living out the old adage about the man who drinks kava vs the man who drinks alcohol. Or actually getting some relief from chronic pain, anxiety, etc. Here in America, we don't treat diseases we treat symptoms and don't do a great job of even doing that. Keep the patient sick and they will keep coming back for our FDA approved concoctions, despite a laundry list of side effects like 'suicidal ideation', etc. But God forbid someone get their hands on the illicit 'kava kava' as it is known on the street. PSA for all you parents with teenage kids: Make no mistake. Kava Kava is the devil. With horns, pitchfork, and all the other cartoonish attributes. Various other names are used by the 'dealers' of kava like 'grog', 'awa', and 'peace juice'. Some signs to look for are frequent nosebleeds from where your child tried to snort the kava kava. Or needle marks on their arms due to them getting strung out on kava kava root. Abscessed on the skin from too many makas building up in the system. Just say no to kava kava, kids.
""This is your brain (shows an egg). This is your brain on kava (shows a happy angel floating on a cloud playing a golden harp). Any questions?"
Some kid raises his hand. "Yea, I have a question. Since when did science and experience and real facts become replaced with a greedy, selfish, hearless agenda to continue trying to deceive the American public about natural medicine?""

Sorry. It was the Ambae talking. In kava veritas. In kava is truth.

 

[PapaMoi]

This country's politicians crack me up sometime. Cigarettes, alcohol and fast food kill more people than most of these things ever will by a thousand fold. But, they are going to focus on natural means that MAY help to offset pharmaceutical addictions, opioid addictions and countless reliances on manmade substances that are harmful. It's like there is a fire engulfing a room and the fire department is trying to put out the pilot light for the water heater instead of the 10 foot flames.
One caveat to this. I'm mainly referring to it's possible implications with Kava. Don't know much about K@ to be honest.

Truth. Like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[Travis]

They could really use a kava bar in DC.

 

[Plantacious]

One clue as to when natural plant is in danger of being banned, is when masses of people start making statements such as, "I'm so happy because ever since I started using 'Plant X', it has replaced my prescription medication !"

 

[PapaMoi]

One clue as to when natural plant is in danger of being banned, is when masses of people start making statements such as, "I'm so happy because ever since I started using 'Plant X', it has replaced my prescription medication !"

Yes. Testimony of something working with little or no side effects grates on the nerves of some medical key players. It is a direct affront to the pharma system and they simply "ain't gonna have that noise.". It's too bad, too because we could be soooo much farther along as a culture. One man's medicine is another man's poison.