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eBay bans K4V4.(?)

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
Searching whether or not kava listings were still up was the first thing I did before making this thread. I brought it up to the retailer, that I still see kava available on the site, his response was this:

Nitesh Narayan:
"Ebay said its officially banning it.
You see all the sponsored vendors still selling because those vendors pay for x amount of days, and to make their product appear first on the search and more frequently. It will appear until their paid period i.e the time they paid for is over. I saw one take advantage of the situation and rise the price to $130/lb."
things can't be that bad, you can still get a pound of Wakacon for $300 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wakacon-KA...358787&hash=item46731f02f9:g:sqYAAOSwk-1aQkRK
So, that product has since been taken down, just as the quote above that suggested would happen to the remaining products.
Could this actually be"start" of something ? And not an isolated incident ?
A small wave, that brings bigger waves.....as happened with k-tom ?
Does kava have an advocacy group ?
 
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Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
Wow. Really. This is so frustrating.
"K@ IS ONE OF THE 3 K’S (KAVA, K@ AND KHAT) IDENTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AS HERBALS THAT CAN INDUCE LIVER INJURIES "
https://nsjonline.com/article/2018/01/as-K@-use-surges-some-states-enact-bans/
Didn't they try to ban kava years ago, and those liver claims were proven to be false, because the subjects they were using had already been heavy drinkers or something like that ?
And with the k-tom battle, scientists on the K@ advocacy side have scientifically proven does no ill harm to the body.
And on the flip side, the opposition has proved nothing of the sort.
 
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So, that product has since been taken down, just as the quote above that suggested would happen to the remaining products.
Could this actually be"start" of something ? And not an isolated incident ?
A small wave, that brings bigger waves.....as happened with K@ ?
Does kava have an advocacy group ?
I have been thinking on an advocacy group for awhile now. Not trying to be pessimistic. But, it's a matter of time before Kava is really challenged in the states. Especially, if i'ts profits start to eat into the machine.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I have been thinking on an advocacy group for awhile now. Not trying to be pessimistic. But, it's a matter of time before Kava is really challenged in the states. Especially, if i'ts profits start to eat into the machine.
it's only a matter of time before a batch of kava is (deliberately?) contaminated and makes people sick. I'm guessing it will be on the cheaper end of the scale, more a bulk wholesaler off the docks thing. But there will be immediate calls to ban kava. Kr@ may be awful but it doesn't usually have salmonella in it. K2/Spice may also be awful but it doesn't usually have rat poison in it.
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
It appears the resolution has been introduced in the state legislature and referred to several committees, but not passed yet...?
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2494&year=2018
Maybe @Alia knows more
The "State Beverage" idea is on a back burner for me. This session I put no effort towards it. I put all my energy in the draft Codex alimentarious. Reasoning- it is international, more detailed (lists all "endemic" Hawaiian cultivars ), provides enormous documentation and has FDA support. Last year I put so much effort in the "Hawai'i State Beverage" Resolution and I became disillusioned with how it would be viewed internationally compared to Codex. I learned much, also, about the mentality of our Hawai'i State Legislators and their total ignorance of 'awa/kava.
 
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Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
@Alia - I agree the Codex is by far the more important mission, but I do think that Hawaiian State Beverage status would add real value to kava's reputation in the USA. It would give great legitimacy to genuine kava bars and vendors, and serve as a positive advertising point for a domestic product.
My frustration with it, again, was the lack of knowledge and lack of enthusiasm of the elected Representatives and Senators . Last year (Session) one powerful Senator had the power to decide to keep it in Committee or keep it out of discussion. A positive move on his part would have brought it from the House of Rep. back to the Senate. I spoke at length to his Aide and was told that there was no way that Senator would introduce it further. If Codex becomes reality in a few years then that may create all the support we'd need to get it passed on the State level.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
It is based on scientific evidence and well documented adverse reactions.
Again, this is nonsense. There aren't a lot of documented adverse reactions when you compare it to FDA approved drugs, etc. I'm sure you have the quitting K@ sub link ready but reddit isn't a reliable source for anything scientific. The poison control lines got more calls about people ingesting laundry detergent balls than they did perceived adverse reactions to K@ (I say perceived because it's like cannabis or kava, the negative side effects of taking too much will go away after a few hours pass and it's eliminated from the body). There isn't much backing in the scientific community for a ban and the evidence the DEA and FDA have put forward is very weak, incomplete and lacking of substance. If there were any real evidence of danger, the DEA ban would have went through in 2016.

@Alia - I agree the Codex is by far the more important mission, but I do think that Hawaiian State Beverage status would add real value to kava's reputation in the USA. It would give great legitimacy to genuine kava bars and vendors, and serve as a positive advertising point for a domestic product.
The codex is much more important to focus on. I don't see the state drink as being much more than symbolic. How many people actually know if their state has a state drink and what it is?
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
How many people actually know if their state has a state drink and what it is?
The big Milk industry would like a word with you to remind you that you like milk. Basically if you don't know it's a pretty safe bet to say "milk". I'm lactose intolerant, so I'm going to need a revision.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
The big Milk industry would like a word with you to remind you that you like milk. Basically if you don't know it's a pretty safe bet to say "milk". I'm lactose intolerant, so I'm going to need a revision.
Hah. I did look it up and milk is the overwhelming majority. Kind of surprising considering most adults I know drink little to no milk unless it's mixed into a coffee or something.
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
I learned much, also, about the mentality of our Hawai'i State Legislators and their total ignorance of 'awa/kava.
They'd probably be more enthusiastic if it was something they could impress the hospitality lobby with, like Piña Colada or some other tropical cocktail.

In any case, kudos to you for trying. For what it's worth, I agree that the Codex work will have a greater impact on the worldwide kava industry.
Vinaka vaka levu.
 
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SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
If those who are engaged in this practice had any honesty, they would open K@ BARS and stop hiding behind KAVA. And if more K@ advocates were aware of this practice, I'm sure many would find it just as reprehensible as I do. It's only the "quick buck legal high" contingent that does this, and it doesn't do any favors for either substance. True K@ advocates surely must realize that K@ can never hope to achieve "beverage" status in the USA.
We are pretty much in agreement here. I just feel very strongly that the solution to the K@ in kava bars issue should not be a ban on K@. I really don't know of a way to stop the "quick buck legal high" contingent because they will continue to work with whatever they have access to. If K@ is gone, they'll move onto something else. Money is their motivator and they don't care what damage they do to the consumer or either plants industry. There is also no push in the K@ community to achieve beverage status. People just want to be able to continue treating their issues without having to resort to vastly more dangerous and less effective alternatives pushed by doctors/pharmaceuticals, not risk prison time for making a cup of tea and not have to deal with a black market which I think we all agree magnifies the potential for harm greatly.

And since I'm on a somewhat OT rant here already, I'll continue lol: Implying that the FDA K@ Recall is "fake, they just want to ban K@" is spectacularly stupid. I don't see any Chicken Salad Advocates making such claims about that recall, nor do I see any CSA's tweeting "go ahead and eat it, they're just faking it to protect Big KFC".

There is NO known connection between the potential scheduling of K@ and the recent recall of Salmonella infected K@, and to promote such nonsense is stupendously irresponsible.
When those recalls are issued, the FDA never advises consumers to stop eating lettuce, chicken, etc. It could be a complete coincidence that the first ever outbreak just happens to be right when the DEA and FDA are trying to get public support to take action.
 
In this context the one thing that Kava has going for it in many ways is it's ellusive character. It takes awhile to build up in the bloodstream. You have to approach it with an empty stomach. One has to accept the fact that it will give you at times what it wants to give you. It naturally instills respect and patience. Qualities that many don't want to be burdened with. Kava is "big medicine" and it's sacred ground. And it just saddens me that money, ignorance and corruption COULD possibly violate that. I hope that the government is looking out for us. I"m having a hard time believing that anymore to be honest. But, that doesn't trump my desire for Kava to be portrayed in it's natural light. And it's a good one.

Sinclair Vineyard Oct 2013
Patience?
"Patience," flapped the Butterfly's wings
"Patience," said Thomas Edison
"Patience," said Abraham Lincoln
"Patience," said the Diamond's sparkle
"Patience," said the Pearl's smoothness
"Patience," said Columbus' sailors
"Patience," the monks prayed
"Patience," the Mountains yawned
"Patience," Maturity recollected
"Patience," Healing nodded
"Patience," Insight demanded!
"Patience," winked the stars of the Milky Way
 
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