european countries (EU) which allow import of Kava-Powder?

[Steve]

Buddhacide - thanks for the update.  With some ambiguity in the air regarding Australia, it might be ok trying to get some candy in there (maybe I will have to make some pseudo labels that say it is gum or something). I just think it is too bad that we need to rely on sending, testing, and feedback to figure out what is really going on in these respective countries.

The kava order that I sent to Slovenia should have arrived but sometimes I notice that the customs department on their side does not mark that it was received but the customer received it.  I am not sure why this is, but this is the only way to track orders when using USPS International and not an express service.

 

[Steve]

Update:

Shipping to Slovenia - package of kava candy arrived but the process took about 1 month (was in full cases with sleeves and everything)

Shipping to India - package of kava candy arrived and process took 6 days from Hawaii - 6 days...I could not believe it.  It was full cases as well with sleeves and everything.  My friend ordered it and was sent to his work...I sent it out on a Saturday and it was on his desk, through customs on both sides in 6 days.  Don't know if it was a fluke but that was great news

 

[Steve]

Further updates on shipping kava to international countries (I will keep posted as I am able to confirm from people)

Belgium - 6 days!  I was pretty amazed and no issues.
France - waiting for feedback - does anyone have experience here?
Germany / Deutschland - packs with and without the kava candy sleeve were accepted...i think it just depends on the customs official but no problems so far
Switzerland - waiting feedback. Has anyone had issues here?

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

Hey folks,



just registered on Yuku because of this particular thread. I live in Germany and would like to order root powder on a regular basis.

The information you guys posted has been very helpful so far.



Just wanted to let you know that any updates on how kava products passed through customs into the EU, and Germany in particular, are highly appreciated.



Will order root powder from Hawaii soon (only half a pound for the start) and will let you know here how it went down for me.



Cheers

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

Hey redfox,

would you be so nice to state the final outcome of your three packages which got caught up in customs?

thanks in advance

 

[Steve]

purpleturtle - not sure as much about the kava root powder (as I just do the kava candy) but I am sure Adil over at Paradise can work with you and figure out a good plan.  Root is a little more ominous looking so maybe some strings can be pulled to make sure it gets through without customs interfering.

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

Thanks for the advice Steve. Already talked to Adil. Hope it'll work out.

 

[Steve]

Adil and I were laughing about shipping the other day...maybe we could make dolls out of compacted kava like they did in the movie "Traffic"

 

[kl.Redfox]

Sorry for the late update ...

The 3 items were forwarded by customs to a federal health authority. They should check if it is a matter of pharmaceuticals. Till now I didn't hear anything from the authority ... it will take about several weeks I heard from other "victims".

Anyway, I will appeal if the authority asserts the powder and instant are pharmaceuticals ... because in this case you can also call a Scottish Single Malt Whiskey a pharmaceutical (smiley: wink)
In German we call e.g. wine, whiskey, tea, coffee etc. to be "Genussmittel" ... thats how I'll argue (smiley: eyes)

btw: Some vendors are very keen to do a well "camouflage" for their overseas customers - even without asking them before to do that little help (smiley: smile)

 

[ObiWan]

German users can also contact me via PM to discuss about vendors and experiences with the german customs. Some of you may know the german Cystics forum. Their  Kava Thread was deleted on Sunday because of legal reasons. I wrote in that forum using the nick name 'Angsthase'.

Of course this forum should be the first place to discuss things, but some topics should be discussed privately. You never know who also reads this forum...

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

@ Steve: I'll be the first to order one of those



But I guess ObiWan is right with the point he made. Apparantly, officials have already taken some interest in the issue of Kava.

However, I am still not certain that is illegal to import root powder into the EU only because pharmaceuticals were banned.



Redfox, I'd probably act in the same way. Possible fines are not that deterrent (if you have no record as big time importer )

and it would be interesting to know how and with what provision they would justify a seizure.

 

[kl.Z]

According to this: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/onairhighlights/europe-explains-its-stand-on-kava-from-the-pacific there are no longer any pan-European regulations concerning kava (the EU lifted its ban in 2008 apparently). According to kavasseur's blog and kona kava, Germany actually LEGALIZED kava again already back in 2006, but I guess some of the customs officers may simply not know this or cannot be bothered to check and prefer to be rather safe than sorry. 
Actually, officially the only country in the EU that explicitly prohibits kava (including possession for personal consumption) is Poland where it is treated like any other "drug" (apparently, according to Polish law there is little difference between heroine, cannabis, LSD and kava!). 
On a different note, if you guys think of shipping to New Zealand, always make sure not to in any way indicate that you send seeds or unprocessed food products, as these will most probably be stopped (and destroyed?) by the customs. Otherwise no problems at all with importing kava to NZ.

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

It's confusing. Apparantly the ban was lifted, yes, but manufacturers are not yet licensed to sell it and I believe it's not sure they ever will be.



http://www.richters.com/s...gi?page=Issues/kava.html (licensing aspect).



Still don't get the real benefit of the lifting of the ban or the legal situation in general.



To my understanding it should be legal to import kava as a substance to brew a beverage from or to do whatever you like with it except for using it as medicine.

According to Matthew Newman, spokesman for the European Commission it is not illegal (except for Poland) at all.



Reminds me of that ridiculous discussion with electronic cigarettes - when they wanted to enforce that it should only be legal to sell them in pharmacies.

As if they were to be classified as 'medicine'. What a joke.

 

[krunkedout]

Bothe the EU and the FDA are a bunch of money hoarding pigs is all. They don't care about people's health at all. That's why the FDA gets on kavas ass is because it's just as effective as their drugs at treating anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, insomnia, ect.. The reason they hate it so much is because they can't make money off of it and because it takes away their customers. I feel that it's only a matter of time until it is made illegal and gets treated like the other drugs. That's why they came out with all of those bullshit studies about the liver problems. They knew they couldn't disprove the benefits so they tried to scare people away from it by saying that it can actually kill you.

 

[kl.midas]

The EU are very quick to ban things, but can't imagine them ever un-banning anything unless there is some significant financial gain in it for them. I'm not too confident Kava will ever be back on shop shelves here. I emailed the customs department here a couple of times asking if there is any law explicitly forbidding me to import kava for personal use, they replied both times telling me that it was prohibited for me to sell kava in this Country. I suspect that they didn't really know the answer to the question I asked, so they answered an entirely different one instead.

 

[ObiWan]

According to this: http://www.radioaustralia...on-kava-from-the-pacific there are no longer any pan-European regulations concerning kava (the EU lifted its ban in 2008 apparently). According to kavasseur's blog and kona kava, Germany actually LEGALIZED kava again already back in 2006, but I guess some of the customs officers may simply not know this or cannot be bothered to check and prefer to be rather safe than sorry.

This informaion is definetely false. Kava is still banned in most european countries and especially in Germany. This was confirmed by Dr. Jörg Grünwald (Executive Director of the International Kava Executive Council (IKEC) ) to me in August 2010.

The origin of that myth (that the ban was lifted) seems to come from Vanuatu and Fiji. Anybody seems to get it wrong.

As long as no pharmacy company gets a marketing authorisation of pharmaceuticals ("Arzneimittelzulassung") for Kava in Germany, it will stay banned. And there is no pharmacy company that works on such an authorisation. It costs money, and they can earn more money with their Benzos and SSRIs

 

[kl.Z]

It's preposterous. I recently talked t oa guy who was trying to lobby in Poland for lifting the ban (as he said, in Poland one can theoretically end up in jail for up to 3 years for mere possession of kava!). He made a good point: the politicians have nothing at all to win from legalizing stuff, quite the contrary. When they ban things, they appear as both productive (new laws!) and noble (protecting the children!). There is no significant constitutency that would ever defend kava or any other "exotic" plant. When they legalize things on the other hand, they may get some points from kava lovers, but generally most of the society is brainwashed by anti-drug state propaganda and risk aversion and besides most of the people wouldn't even know what kava is. Hence, all politicians assume there is no point in taking the risk: after all, what if one day someone dies because he/she eats 40kg of kava and jumps off the bridge?

 

[kl.TonyTP]

but explain to me why a bunch of EU netshops (like BIOVEA) are able to sell Kava capsules, Kava drops etc ? Although they (based on what I'm reading) are weak & useless it still contains some of the same ingredients. If they're able to sell the ingredient in the first place, why are none of them able to import Kava powder ?

 

[ObiWan]

about Biovea: have a look at http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews52432.html

 

[kl.purpleturtle]

This was confirmed by Dr. Jörg Grünwald (Executive Director of the International Kava Executive Council (IKEC) ) to me in August 2010.


This guy would have been my next step.... thanks for sharing your research (Thumbsup)

Results suck though! (Nono)