Kava Culture Consumer Reports Follow-Up

[Alia]

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".

 

[verticity]

Ah, the old non-answer "answer", from someone with a single letter for a last name...

 

[verticity]

Did you know that former President Harry S. Truman's middle name is actually the letter "S"? It doesn't stand for anything. There is some controversy about whether to include the period after it.

 

[Bwiggy]

Any ideas about what we can do, who we can write, where we can post? Reddit?

I just saw this today, about how beneficial kava is for the system: https://www.marijuanatimes.org/what-impacts-the-endocannabinoid-system-besides-cannabis/

 

[chandra]

That article was interesting. May explain why kava helps my fibromyalgia so much.

Any ideas about what we can do, who we can write, where we can post? Reddit?

I just saw this today, about how beneficial kava is for the system: https://www.marijuanatimes.org/what-impacts-the-endocannabinoid-system-besides-cannabis/

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Sounds like time for "consumer retorts."

 

[Alia]

Any ideas about what we can do, who we can write, where we can post? Reddit?

I just saw this today, about how beneficial kava is for the system: https://www.marijuanatimes.org/what-impacts-the-endocannabinoid-system-besides-cannabis/

To comment search "Consumer Reports list of 15 supplements to always avoid"- and it should show up. If you look at the list, you'll see kava and the "liver failure" "sudden death" claim...go all the way to the bottom of list and there are posted comments.

 

[Alia]

Any ideas about what we can do, who we can write, where we can post? Reddit?

I just saw this today, about how beneficial kava is for the system: https://www.marijuanatimes.org/what-impacts-the-endocannabinoid-system-besides-cannabis/

Here is better link- http://www.consumerreports.org/vitamins-supplements/15-supplement-ingredients-to-always-avoid/

 

[Bwiggy]

Thanks @Alia - there are tons of comments on the site!!!

 

[Deleted User01]

Well down @Alia!!!

 

[verticity]

Sounds like time for "consumer retorts."

I remember when the Drudge Report broke the Bill Clinton blow job story. The late nineties, and it was the first time a web site had broken a major news story. Shortly thereafter a bunch of counter-Drudge Report sites sprung up. (no pun intended) One of them was named "The Drudge Retort".

Why am I telling this story?
Most of the readership of this site were probably in diapers (*nappies) in the late nineties, and I just wanted to share my memories with you, as we old guys are wont to do, I suppose..

 

[verticity]

OK, according to the Kava Census, the average age here is 36, so the average member was 18 when zippergate happened....

 

[verticity]

By the way, take the Kava Census!
https://census.kavachat.com/

 

[Kojo Douglas]

I remember when the Drudge Report broke the Bill Clinton blow job story. The late nineties, and it was the first time a web site had broken a major news story. Shortly thereafter a bunch of counter-Drudge Report sites sprung up. (no pun intended) One of them was named "The Drudge Retort".

Why am I telling this story?
Most of the readership of this site were probably in diapers (*nappies) in the late nineties, and I just wanted to share my memories with you, as we old guys are wont to do, I suppose..

It's so funny that you mention that, because that is exactly what I was thinking of! I didn't expect anyone to get the reference.