Hey all, I'm planning on taking a trip sometime this summer and am wondering about traveling over international borders with kava. I know it's totally fine to have stuff sent by mail over borders, but how about carrying it on your person? Some customs and border control people can be real douchebags (I tried to think of a polite way to put it but this is all I could come up with). It seems that some of them get their jollies from giving innocent travelers a hard time and I'd rather not be detained and strip searched because they found a bag of brown powder in my backpack! (smiley: grin) Where I'm going has a big drinking culture and I use kava to stop myself from boozing so I'd really like to bring some with me. Has anyone traveled across borders with kava with or without incident? Can I safely assume that the customs agents know about kava and will accept the package as labeled? I do intend to bring it unopened and intact so that it doesn't look like I've tampered with anything. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but when you're screwed with every single time, you start to take extra precautions to avoid trouble.(smiley: smokin)
Traveling over international borders with kava
- Thread starter kl.KarmaG
- Start date
kavalover
Outsider
It depends on where you're going. If you're traveling into known kava-drinking areas like, for instance, certain territories of Australia or Vanuatu, then there will be limits to how much kava you can bring on your person, or it might be illegal to bring into the country at all. Some places I know still have bans over kava consumption, which by now may have been lifted, but I'm not sure. Personally I'd mail it to wherever you will be staying. I can't imagine a bag of brown powder looking very good, especially brown powder that numbs your mouth LOL. You shouldn't assume they know of kava, just to be on the safe side. It might be safer to just mail to to your hotel or wherever. When I traveled to Jamaica they held me for three hours (I missed my flight) because of an herb/spice mix I tried to bring with me in my bag. It was ridiculous, but again, it just depends on where you're going.
Kojo Douglas
The Kavasseur
Well, whenever I fly back to the United States I always stock up on Kava and bring back 5 or 6 kilos back to Africa with me. Never had any problems. But then again, this is Africa and pretty much anything goes.
Prince Philip
Duke of Edinborogu
The first, last, and only time I had kava shipped from Vanuatu directly to America, it was seized by Homeland Security and they totally fucked up the packaging. I think I'd just bring it with me and say, "it's a drug, called kava, I use it to get high. I checked the law and it's unscheduled in your country." (Or, in Australia, "I'm allowed two kilos, and these are my two kilos.")
*shrug*
*shrug*
kl.new2kava
Kava Enthusiast
Just try not to act too sketchy about it. Like, duct taping a few pounds of it to various places on your body may likely get a rise out of customs and they may take it to the next level due to the terrorism paranoia and get a SWAT team involved. Personally I second the idea of shipping kava to place your going and taking customs right out of the picture or possibly see if there is a vendor within that country that would allow you to supersede customs entirely.
Lol thanks for the good laugh! I love the NatGeo show Locked Up Abroad and I've learned from that show never to tape stuff to various places on your body! I can just imagine someone taping a bunch of legal stuff to their stomach or something. Hilarious! I may just have some kava shipped before I arrive or I'll just make sure that I buy some professionally labeled stuff and keep it sealed in the package - I could carry it along with the Yogi kava tea I'll be bringing (not so much for effects, just that it tastes amazing!). I'll leave my unmarked ziplock bags here at home and not taped to my person (smiley: roll)new2kava said:
kl.Gray Owl
Kava Enthusiast
Something from BKH would be good, the packaging is low key and looks like something you got off the shelf at the grocery store unlike some of the other vendors that shrink wrap or advertise just how stoned contents will make you feel.KarmaG said:
Prince Philip
Duke of Edinborogu
While it may be more expensive, there's also the Paradise Kava extracts.
What do you all think of KBR's packaging? I'm thinking that I'd love to take some Tongan Pride. Too brick-like? The labeling is kind of minimal. Is there any BKH kava that is similar to the Tongan Pride? My first purchase from BKH was the instant which I enjoyed. Maybe I'll pick up more of that, although I wish it were sealed better.
I used to work for an agency related to customs when I was a student intern and we went to their trainings. They had no training at all about what kava was. I'd go with the packaging recommendations. If it looks commercial, they probably won't sweat it. If it looks like a kilo of powder that numbs your mouth, they are probably going to take a second look. If they notice it. One other dumb thing that might help is printing off your reciept and stapling it to the bag. I know this sounds silly, but anything that legitimatizes it is less likely to cause them to take your car apart looking for drugs. I love KBR, (I'm drinking Van3 right now) but I think their packaging might draw attention. Let us know how it goes and if they give you any trouble.