Claims on the latest form of kava adulteration as done in some overseas countries has the potential to initiate a second ban on export of kava from the Pacific including Fiji.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made this comment in his response to a statement by NZ based lecturer Dr Apo Apolosa that planting of kava in the US could affect export from Pacific Island nations including Fiji.
Mr Rabuka said the Pacific has already experienced economic fallout from the manipulation and adulteration of safe kava in the early 2000s through the European Kava Ban.
“This latest form of kava adulteration (with substances like kratom) and I would also suggest the growing of kava outside of the Pacific, has the potential to initiate a second ban,” he said.
“A lot of the plants that now form the staple diets of countries around the world were introduced by early and later settler-communities and were not endemic to the settled lands, islands and regions.
“The various past bans decisions placed on kava imports from the Pacific were based on mostly scientific advice more about the adverse social and perceived or anticipated health effects it would have on the importing countries’ population.”
He cited, as an example the Australian Restrictions which included a ban in some Aboriginal settlements because they were using it to excess and not mixing it to the social doses used in Fiji or mixing it with alcoholic or methylated spirits and other substances.
“Some bans imposed by other economies were probably based on protecting their own therapeutic manufactured or herbal medicinal drugs.”
Follow the Fiji Times website for more reports on this!
