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Kava’s legal status has
had a long and bumpy ride. It is legal in most major
countries except for Canada and France. And yes, the
legal status of kava in the United States is that it is
not only unregulated, but it has gained FDA protection
as well. Some laws in some countries are difficult to
decode, and we present you with our findings below.
Kava is legal to possess & sell in Australia, but it is
illegal to import into Australia without a license, it
is "Schedule IV" in the import laws. Britain has banned
the sale all medicines containing kava extracts, but
importing it as a dietary supplement is still legal,
although it seems that they have made it illegal for
consumption. We couldn’t figure out the laws, and we
don’t know if the U.K. can either. Kava's legal
status isn't always clear-cut, as you can see.
Health Canada (Canada’s Health Regulation Agency) issued
a stop order blocking the sales of kava products for
human consumption in 2002, in response to the German
study, which has now been debunked. BUT, in in January
2004, new natural health product regulations come into
effect under the auspices of the Natural Health Products
Directorate of Health Canada. Kava could then return to
the market, provided the safety concerns can be
mitigated through appropriate use of warning labels or
other measures.
Norway doesn’t have specific bans of most herbal
products, because most of them are considered to, but we
have been told that the national health council
considers them to be prescription medication, regardless
of what they are! Part of the reason is they claim that
Kava Kava is used as a psychoactive drug, even though
coffee, a powerful psychoactive drug is completely
legal.
If you can add to this list or provide references, we
would be grateful. |
