Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
For those who read and/or commented on the recent "Consumer Reports 15 Supplements to Always Avoid" wherein they listed "kava, Piper methysticum" as potentially causing "sudden death" "liver failure" etc. Here is the "answer" CR sent to a comment directed at CR (that comment cut and pasted below their reply) . I wonder if any of the "appropriate members of Staff" will look closer at kava safety?
"Thank you for taking the time to contact Consumer Reports®. I want to express how much we value your choice of our products and services to help you make informed purchasing decisions.
We appreciate your writing to us regarding our report on 15 supplements to avoid. Please be assured that our readers' feedback plays a strong role in the work that we do. Because of this I have taken the liberty of sharing your feedback with the appropriate members of our staff for their review and future consideration.
Consumer Reports is committed to making your experience positive and informative.
Sincerely,
Larissa P.
Representative
Customer Care
002364330A
Feedback from customers like you is truly appreciated. However, please do not reply to this e-mail. Replies sent to this email address cannot be answered. If you have additional comments, please click here:
http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/consumers/contactusfollowup.htm?F1=002364330A "
Original comment to CR- "It is careless, maybe even a little racist, for Consumer Reports to list "kava, kava-kava Piper methysticum" generally and not differentiate the water based kava beverage consumed by Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. To quote the Journal of the American Medical Association commentary (11-17-2010-Vol 304, No 19)- "Historic use shows that kava is safe under the strict control of the rituals of Pacific cultures. The traditional beverage is consumed on a daily basis without apparent adverse effects, and kava cultivars ... have a long tradition of safe use". Kava beverage is made by mixing water with ground up (dried or fresh) roots of the plant, then straining".
"Thank you for taking the time to contact Consumer Reports®. I want to express how much we value your choice of our products and services to help you make informed purchasing decisions.
We appreciate your writing to us regarding our report on 15 supplements to avoid. Please be assured that our readers' feedback plays a strong role in the work that we do. Because of this I have taken the liberty of sharing your feedback with the appropriate members of our staff for their review and future consideration.
Consumer Reports is committed to making your experience positive and informative.
Sincerely,
Larissa P.
Representative
Customer Care
002364330A
Feedback from customers like you is truly appreciated. However, please do not reply to this e-mail. Replies sent to this email address cannot be answered. If you have additional comments, please click here:
http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/consumers/contactusfollowup.htm?F1=002364330A "
Original comment to CR- "It is careless, maybe even a little racist, for Consumer Reports to list "kava, kava-kava Piper methysticum" generally and not differentiate the water based kava beverage consumed by Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. To quote the Journal of the American Medical Association commentary (11-17-2010-Vol 304, No 19)- "Historic use shows that kava is safe under the strict control of the rituals of Pacific cultures. The traditional beverage is consumed on a daily basis without apparent adverse effects, and kava cultivars ... have a long tradition of safe use". Kava beverage is made by mixing water with ground up (dried or fresh) roots of the plant, then straining".