What seemed impossible 50 years ago is today becoming a reality as ‘soft drugs’ such as cannabis are being decriminalized and accepted for their calming effects as well as their legitimate medicinal properties. Several countries have now made the possession of cannabis legal, with others considering this, while the coffee shops in the Netherlands have been
supplying cannabis in different forms for many years. It is now the turn of kava to be re-evaluated, to see whether there are properties in this plant that might be readily substituted for more conventional and harmful drugs, for instance tobacco and alcohol. However, as highlighted by Norton and Ruze (1994), kava like cannabis, has an enduring reputation that still makes it difficult for many to accept. Kava has been mythologized as an illicit alcohol, highly addictive, and causing physical harm. When examining the history of kava use in traditional contexts and considering the evidence now available, it is possible to demythologize this characterization. Looking at the potential benefits, it is time to re-brand kava, not only on the grounds as a relaxant, but in possessing life enhancing medicinal properties and as an alternative to
alcohol, understanding that will be beneficial to policy makers, doctors and pharmacists.

META DATA

Creator | Kaihanga
Dr Apo Aporosa
Year of Creation | Tau
31/01/2019
Publisher | Kaiwhakaputa
Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs - Drug Science, Policy and Law Publication
Keywords | Kupu
kava, addiction, alcohol, harm, liver, misunderstanding, myth
Main Language | Reo Matua
English
Submitter's Rights | Nga Tika o te Kaituku
I represent the publisher or owner organisation of this resource
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