Campaigners are calling on the Government to legalise a substance dubbed nature’s Valium after it apparently won a royal seal of approval.
King Charles was seen sipping ceremonial drink kava – which is said to induce a calm, euphoric state – during his visit to Samoa in October, though it is banned in the UK.
The substance was outlawed in 2003 due to links to around 30 cases of liver damage in Europe, including one death.
It is also banned or restricted in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.
But Dr Simon Geller, from the Kava Coalition, says it is time for the UK to ‘take the lead’ in reinstating the drink for its health benefits.
He said: ‘If it’s safe enough for the King, isn’t it time to reconsider its prohibition for everyone else?’
Made from the roots of the kava plant, it is drunk in the South Seas for medicinal, political and cultural purposes. It is also used to treat stress, anxiety and insomnia.
Campaigners are calling on the Government to legalise Kava as King Charles was seen sipping the ceremonial drink in Samoa in October
Kava, which is an outlawed substance in the UK, is said to induce a calm, euphoric state
Made from the roots of the kava plant, it is drunk in the South Seas for medicinal, political and cultural purposes. It is also used to treat stress, anxiety and insomnia