LONDON, United Kingdom, October 31, 2024 (EZ Newswire) -- Today, the Kava Coalition, renewed their call to lawmakers to make kava legal in the United Kingdom (U.K.) following a recent high-profile photo op of King Charles III sipping kava in a Samoan ceremony.
On October 24, King Charles and Queen Camilla were officially welcomed to Samoa in the home village of the head of state, Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II. King Charles was handed a kava drink known locally as ‘ava’ and, honoring the Samoan custom, poured some on the ground and then took a sip. Dr.
Simon Gellar, PhD., is a leading researcher on the consumption and economy of kava and serves as the Kava Coalition's subject matter expert. He commended the ceremony and noted that E.
U. and U.K.
rules governing kava’s sale and consumption reflected misunderstandings about kava. The Samoan episode further demonstrates the benefits of trade in Kava between countries, particularly emerging South Pacific economies. Countries such as Samoa can experience positive social mobility via the demand for Kava from Western countries.
Prolonged prohibition only hurts these emerging economies, which are particularly vulnerable to economic losses in a global economy. “Kava culture in the U.K.
and E.U. lacks historical context and has unfairly faced bias due to unfamiliarity and flawed beliefs,” said Dr.
Gellar. “If the U.K.
were serious about giving consumers a choice, they would acknowledge this bias and consider access .