6 February 2013

Kava exemption rides again

| johnboy
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kava

The Health Directorate has announced that kava will once again be gracing Beer And Meat On A Stick Day:

“The Pacific Island community has expressed the importance of kava use to their culture. This exemption will allow Pacific Island people to observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year, ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kelly said.

“In February 2012, I declared a trial exemption for the National Multicultural Festival which was generally regarded as a success.

“Since that time, the Health Directorate has undertaken a consultation process with ACT Pacific Island community regarding details of the proposed exemption, particularly in seeking to define ‘cultural use’.

Kava is listed as a prescription only medicine in the ACT, which means that traditional forms of kava are not legally permitted. Kava may only be used in preparations prescribed by a doctor.

The new section 864 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 specifies that the Minister can declare that a public event is exempt from the prescription only requirements for kava.

“The cultural use of traditional kava preparations poses a low health risk and clear limits have been placed on the exemption,” Dr Kelly said.

“Kava may only be legally prepared, possessed or consumed in accordance with the customs of the Pacific Islands, such as serving from a traditional kava bowl as part of a traditional kava ceremony or kava circle.

“Kava may also only be used within the physical boundaries of the National Multicultural Festival on the days of the event.

“I am confident the ACT Pacific Island community will welcome this exemption and ensure that kava is only used in accordance with their customs,” Dr Kelly concluded.

For the curious trust me when I say on a hot day with a skinful of assorted beers the last thing you need is a slug of kava.

[Photo by bdearth CC BY 2.0]

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what_the said :

Erg0 said :

I’ve always wondered why we’re not allowed to do 200km/h on public roads – after all they do it at race tracks all the time. In public!

You might want to think harder about this analogy…

Racing on a race track requires a specific license from the sanctioning body, and there are all sorts of safety requirements that must be met.

I, and many others, race regularly on public roads with a license from our sanctioning body, who in turn needs approval from the relevant road authorities. Our insurance has additional requirements.

Some tarmac rallies, may have entries doing 200 kmh on CLOSED public roads.

(and this was about Kava?)

grunge_hippy12:22 pm 10 Feb 13

Hubby tried it on Saturday, said his mouth felt a bit numb but that was it. He said it tasted “bland”. He only had 2 small cups. Some young bucks (read idiots) were skulling glass after glass like you would a tequila shot. I don’t know how they faired later on in the evening.

Can you Kava and drive?

tuco said :

I’m still uneasy about the proposed Korowai menu …

Are you on it?

I’m still uneasy about the proposed Korowai menu …

Tetranitrate said :

We should probably apply this to coffee as well. Only certified expert connoisseurs ought to be allowed to drink it. I mean the situation is totally out of hand right now, everyone is getting on the stuff every morning – it’s dangerous! what are cafes but safe ingesting rooms anyway?

You may have missed the long list of restrictions on kava that were posted earlier. Any thoughts on how these would be enforced in private homes?

Tetranitrate10:57 am 08 Feb 13

Erg0 said :

Tetranitrate said :

If it’s harmless enough that its use can be tolerated in public at the multicultural festival, it’s harmless enough that it ought to be legal full stop. Same deal with things like Khat (where the legality varies by state).

I’ve always wondered why we’re not allowed to do 200km/h on public roads – after all they do it at race tracks all the time. In public!

We should probably apply this to coffee as well. Only certified expert connoisseurs ought to be allowed to drink it. I mean the situation is totally out of hand right now, everyone is getting on the stuff every morning – it’s dangerous! what are cafes but safe ingesting rooms anyway?

Erg0 said :

Tetranitrate said :

If it’s harmless enough that its use can be tolerated in public at the multicultural festival, it’s harmless enough that it ought to be legal full stop. Same deal with things like Khat (where the legality varies by state).

I’ve always wondered why we’re not allowed to do 200km/h on public roads – after all they do it at race tracks all the time. In public!

You might want to think harder about this analogy…

I purchased Kava tablets the other day over the counter at a Woden chemist….not sure if they are being sold without the chemist realising there are restrictions on their sale in the ACT…

Tetranitrate said :

If it’s harmless enough that its use can be tolerated in public at the multicultural festival, it’s harmless enough that it ought to be legal full stop. Same deal with things like Khat (where the legality varies by state).

I’ve always wondered why we’re not allowed to do 200km/h on public roads – after all they do it at race tracks all the time. In public!

Pork Hunt said :

p1 said :

Kava is listed as a prescription only medicine in the ACT, which means that traditional forms of kava are not legally permitted. Kava may only be used in preparations prescribed by a doctor.

Does anyone know what legitimate purposes a Doctorb might prescribe kava?

Doctor, which Doctor?

According to Ben_Dover it’s great for constipation and rapid weight loss. 🙂

p1 said :

Kava is listed as a prescription only medicine in the ACT, which means that traditional forms of kava are not legally permitted. Kava may only be used in preparations prescribed by a doctor.

Does anyone know what legitimate purposes a Doctorb might prescribe kava?

A mixture of St John’s Wort and Kava in capsule form work very well for mild depression and anxiety disorders. Fewer side effects than SSRI inhibitors and no serious side-effects or withdrawal symptoms. Only problem is that they might cause liver damage if used very long term and if you drink alcohol with them you get very drunk fast.

You used to be able to buy them off the shelf in chemists in Canberra up until the late 90s when they decided to make kava a restricted drug.

The capsules are still available overseas without prescription http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19614563

p1 said :

Kava is listed as a prescription only medicine in the ACT, which means that traditional forms of kava are not legally permitted. Kava may only be used in preparations prescribed by a doctor.

Does anyone know what legitimate purposes a Doctorb might prescribe kava?

Doctor, which Doctor?

Kava is listed as a prescription only medicine in the ACT, which means that traditional forms of kava are not legally permitted. Kava may only be used in preparations prescribed by a doctor.

Does anyone know what legitimate purposes a Doctorb might prescribe kava?

Tetranitrate4:15 pm 07 Feb 13

If it’s harmless enough that its use can be tolerated in public at the multicultural festival, it’s harmless enough that it ought to be legal full stop. Same deal with things like Khat (where the legality varies by state).

The one time, (and only time I ever will,) tried kava is gave me a dose of the sh*ts something chronic, I lost about 4 kilos in weight over the following two days. Bloody awful stuff.

Get hold of these boys…

For Rastas, smoking cannabis, usually known as herb, weed, sinsemilla (Spanish for ‘without seeds’), or ganja (from the Sanskrit word ganjika, used in ancient India), is a spiritual act, often accompanied by Bible study; they consider it a sacrament that cleans the body and mind, heals the soul, exalts the consciousness, facilitates peacefulness, brings pleasure, and brings them closer to Jah. They often burn the herb when in need of insight from Jah. Cannabis remains illegal in Jamaica and most of the world and this has caused friction between Rastas and modern societies. The burning of the herb is often said to be essential, “For it will sting in the hearts of those that promote and perform evil and wrongs.” By the 8th century, cannabis had been introduced by Arab traders to Central and Southern Africa, where it is known as “dagga” and many Rastas say it is a part of their African culture that they are reclaiming. It is sometimes also referred to as “the healing of the nation”, a phrase adapted from Revelation 22:2.

bearlikesbeer2:21 pm 07 Feb 13

The article in the Canberra Times this morning said “It still means only Pacific Islanders are allowed to drink kava.” http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/kava-to-be-allowed-at-all-multicultural-festivals-20130206-2dya4.html

This line has since been removed and, according to the NMF’s kava info sheet, we can all take part in consumption of kava if invited by the ceremony hosts.

“Conditions apply to the use of kava at the National Multicultural Festival, including:
• Kava is only to be served and consumed as part of a traditional kava ceremony.
• Kava is only to be served from a traditional kava bowl, into a single use cup and must not be supplied in a container that can be sealed and removed from the location of the kava ceremony.
• Members of the public are permitted to consume kava only if by invitation to take part in a traditional kava ceremony.
• Kava is to be consumed at the time of serving to a person.
• Kava is not to be supplied to persons under the age of eighteen.
• Kava is only to be supplied for free.
• The supply of kava by sale, or in return for a donation, is not permitted.
• It is not permitted to advertise or otherwise promote the supply of kava at the National Multicultural Festival.
• It is not permitted to have signage that promotes the availability of kava from a stall.”

http://www.multiculturalfestival.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/411181/kava_-_fact_sheet_for_NMF_-_FINAL.pdf

bearlikesbeer10:49 am 07 Feb 13

Is the ACT government referring to actual citizenship of a Pacific Island nation, or is it making different rules for different Australians depending on their ancestry, culture or physical appearance?

Who decides who is Pacific Islander and who is not? Do people have to prove they are Pacific Islanders in order to consume kava during ceremonies at the festival, or is it up to the ACT government to prove certain people aren’t Pacific Islanders and shouldn’t be consuming kava?

Kava for all sounds good to me. Kava for Pacific Islanders only sounds very wrong to me. I thought the National Multicultural Festival was about sharing our cultures, and encouraging each other to participate and learn. How is discrimination at a multicultural festival a good thing?

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

So it’s homemade Victoria Bitter?

(Which I note is experiencing its best sales in years since they increased the alcohol.)

switch said :

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

So where does the tribal elders chewing the roots and spitting them back into the pot come in?

What? WTF?

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

So where does the tribal elders chewing the roots and spitting them back into the pot come in?

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

Now there’s an attractive proposition, particularly the Gina Rinehart bit. 🙂 The things some people will endure to get a little ripped.

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

Gina Rinehart’s g-banger was the clincher for me.Pass me the cup for it surely couldn’t get any more pasty than that!

ScienceRules said :

DrKoresh said :

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

Thanks for the 411, I guess I just stick to beer then

ScienceRules said :

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

So just like my wife’s cooking?

ScienceRules9:13 pm 06 Feb 13

DrKoresh said :

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

It’s got a slight narcotic effect, makes your face feel like you’ve been to the dentist and been shot full of numb gum drugs. Also, it smells and tastes like someone’s washed a tradie’s Friday socks in warm dishwater and strained it through Gina Rinehart’s g-banger into a glass made from an old engine block.

Also, does kava do anything other than get you drunk, or does it have other effects? Come on JB, you must know!

dpm said :

Now we just need to find a community that smokes weed as part of their culture, so we can help them ‘observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year’! 🙂

Rastas? Anyway, there’s nothing stopping you from smoking some bud on the sly at MultiCultiFest. I certainly plan to 😀

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd7:12 pm 06 Feb 13

Pork Hunt said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Weatherman said :

Is the public allowed to join in again, as was the case a few years back?

If that’s the case, how is it anything than pure racism?

Pure culturalism, I reckon.

Whatever happened to multicuturism???!!

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Weatherman said :

Is the public allowed to join in again, as was the case a few years back?

If that’s the case, how is it anything than pure racism?

Pure culturalism, I reckon.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd6:16 pm 06 Feb 13

Weatherman said :

Is the public allowed to join in again, as was the case a few years back?

If that’s the case, how is it anything than pure racism?

Is the public allowed to join in again, as was the case a few years back?

Conan of Cooma said :

dpm said :

Now we just need to find a community that smokes weed as part of their culture, so we can help them ‘observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year’! 🙂

No, we just need the dumbarses that make the laws to die so they can be replaced with someone from an intelligent generation.

There’s an intelligent generation?

Citation needed.

Conan of Cooma3:34 pm 06 Feb 13

dpm said :

Now we just need to find a community that smokes weed as part of their culture, so we can help them ‘observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year’! 🙂

No, we just need the dumbarses that make the laws to die so they can be replaced with someone from an intelligent generation.

Now we just need to find a community that smokes weed as part of their culture, so we can help them ‘observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year’! 🙂

on a hot day with a skinful of assorted beers the last thing you need is a slug of kava.

Citation needed.

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