Maybe we need a foundation?

[Szafirek]

Many kava drinkers work for kava, also in the form of associations. Of course It gives results, but misinformation, myths, and false accusations still hold strong. We have knowledge, evidences, but we have small ranges. Meanwhile, misinformation has a very wide ranges. Even in the US, many people still believe that kava harms the liver. It is much worse in Europe, where the authorities that want to decide what people can consume and therefore decide on the lives of others believe it (or pretend to believe).
However, maybe we are able to fight myths in a new way. Reach a mass audience with simple messages. On billboards, on the radio, TV, Internet, maybe some leaflets, brochures. In all these materials, there should be a link to the foundation's website with the collected content and with links to scientific sources, etc.

This requires funds that the foundation could raise.
I know that the kava community doesn't have huge sums. However, maybe business, exporting countries as well as common kava drinkers can jointly donate amounts that allow for some activities.

Possible campaign content:
against the myths (certainly against bad for liver mith, optional other myths):
- no liver problems caused by drinking kava in many places around the world (USA, New Zeland, Oceania etc.)
- the position of the WHO
- kava safety compared to other herbs / supplements, idiosyncratic cases
- criticism of the alleged cases from Germany
- the loss in court of a german institution that accused kava of being harmful to the liver

and:
- how kava helps many people, changes their lives for better
- kava as an alternative to harmful and dangerous substances
- famous people drinking kava

 

[Alia]

Many kava drinkers work for kava, also in the form of associations. Of course It gives results, but misinformation, myths, and false accusations still hold strong. We have knowledge, evidences, but we have small ranges. Meanwhile, misinformation has a very wide ranges. Even in the US, many people still believe that kava harms the liver. It is much worse in Europe, where the authorities that want to decide what people can consume and therefore decide on the lives of others believe it (or pretend to believe).
However, maybe we are able to fight myths in a new way. Reach a mass audience with simple messages. On billboards, on the radio, TV, Internet, maybe some leaflets, brochures. In all these materials, there should be a link to the foundation's website with the collected content and with links to scientific sources, etc.

This requires funds that the foundation could raise.
I know that the kava community doesn't have huge sums. However, maybe business, exporting countries as well as common kava drinkers can jointly donate amounts that allow for some activities.

Possible campaign content:
against the myths (certainly against bad for liver mith, optional other myths):
- no liver problems caused by drinking kava in many places around the world (USA, New Zeland, Oceania etc.)
- the position of the WHO
- kava safety compared to other herbs / supplements, idiosyncratic cases
- criticism of the alleged cases from Germany
- the loss in court of a german institution that accused kava of being harmful to the liver

and:
- how kava helps many people, changes their lives for better
- kava as an alternative to harmful and dangerous substances
- famous people drinking kava

It's Monday in my part of the word, but I just want to bookmark your post and reply in more detail later in the week.
Your comment is worth an answer or at least my thoughts and the thoughts of others.

 

[Orz[EST]]

Food for thought.

 

[_byron]

This is defiantly something I foresee in the future in order to grow the popularity and consumption of kava. Think of milk and the "Got milk?" We need a "Got kava?" campaign

 

[Michael Nielsen]

What is the situation now?

Who speaks for kava?

The Vanuatu government?

Who else?

 

[Alia]

Many kava drinkers work for kava, also in the form of associations. Of course It gives results, but misinformation, myths, and false accusations still hold strong. We have knowledge, evidences, but we have small ranges. Meanwhile, misinformation has a very wide ranges. Even in the US, many people still believe that kava harms the liver. It is much worse in Europe, where the authorities that want to decide what people can consume and therefore decide on the lives of others believe it (or pretend to believe).
However, maybe we are able to fight myths in a new way. Reach a mass audience with simple messages. On billboards, on the radio, TV, Internet, maybe some leaflets, brochures. In all these materials, there should be a link to the foundation's website with the collected content and with links to scientific sources, etc.

This requires funds that the foundation could raise.
I know that the kava community doesn't have huge sums. However, maybe business, exporting countries as well as common kava drinkers can jointly donate amounts that allow for some activities.

Possible campaign content:
against the myths (certainly against bad for liver mith, optional other myths):
- no liver problems caused by drinking kava in many places around the world (USA, New Zeland, Oceania etc.)
- the position of the WHO
- kava safety compared to other herbs / supplements, idiosyncratic cases
- criticism of the alleged cases from Germany
- the loss in court of a german institution that accused kava of being harmful to the liver

and:
- how kava helps many people, changes their lives for better
- kava as an alternative to harmful and dangerous substances
- famous people drinking kava

Clearly it's a great idea as an international effort. In the U.S. it would require a 501(c)3 status with the IRS.
Could not be in the generally recognized form of "Foundation" which usually gives money.
An Association such as the Association for Hawaiian 'Awa (AHA) was very successful in the 1990's thru 2015
and now continues with important work, but not so much notoriety . Why?? Money is the key to success unfortunately.
AHA managed to get large private and Federal grants to start up and did some wonderful front page work, for years.
The same thing could happen internationally--in my experience-- with the right people doing the work.
Grant writers have enormous resources to demonstrate why a Foundation should fund, endow, a properly organized
kava association. eg. Anti-anxiety properties, cancer prevention, and studies suggesting kava can prevent Alzheimers.
Wording and substantiation and demonstration of the studies. Getting far , far , away from common reference of
kava effects as "krunk" in any form or "dope" or "high"... Demonstrating that kava is on an entirely different "plain of reality"
than those descriptions.

 

[Mixnpickngrinnin]

does anyone know if there is any organization amongst Kava companies, retail/ wholesale and kava bars etc? I would think there should be some kind of association of these interests to have at least some lobbying power when it comes to random Cities/states or even countries trying to pass laws against kava. (i remember recently NYC health department shutting down kava bars for some health code reasons, anyone know what came of that?) While it is legal in the USA now, theres nothing to say some crazy lawmaker could decide to make a crusade about this if something spurred it.

For what it is worth i think many kava enthusiasts like myself would try to support something like that. I am just a guy who buys a few pounds and goes to a few kava bars, but i would. Honestly I'd think it would have to start with a few big companies coming together to invest in funding a (probably very small) non profit organization that could seek to fight kava misinformation and promote REAL kava products as safe and helpful/.