Kavakaze on Call Street is “in the moment” as they say.
If you are not versed in the latest latest, then here’s a quick primer on kava and its evil cousin, kratom.
Kava, AKA kava kava, or the other way around, anyway, is a small shrub that grows apparently everywhere in the South Pacific that is not industrialized (will become self-explanatory). Kava is consumed in the form of ‘kava juice,’ a basic mixture of water and dried, ground kava root, prepared by placing the dried mix into a porous sack, submerged in water, then the juice is squeezed into a carved wooden bowl. If you thought ‘oh, that’s kinda like tea, right?’ Yeah…no.
One of the first observations of novices is the hands-on aspect, so unless you are ringing your honey lemon ginseng out from a tea bag, this is definitely not high tea. The kava extract contains compounds, kavalactones that affect the non-opioid brain pathways. The word among kava aficionados is that kava ensues deep relaxation while retaining mental alertness.
Cousin kratom is an herb related to the coffee family and native to Thailand. Kratom is used in cough syrups and similar remedies in Thailand; however, unlike kava, kratom does affect the opioid system in the brain. Yep, the psychoactive ingredient in the kratom leaves is a compound called mitragynine, and the brain responds in a manner similar to morphine. For you pharmacological-types, kratom is not an opiate, but but but, its effects are similar to opiate drugs.
When Kavakaze originally opened in 2015, they were finding their way as Tallahassee’s first and only kava bar. If there’s any credibility to Yelp reviews, the experience was of want. This past summer, new co-managers and kavathusiasts (I could literally spend the entire day making up kava puns), Matthew and Michael Nazareth, have come in to tweak Tallahassee’s first (and still) only kava bar.
The place is definitely a hipster dog-whistle; channeling the dark lighting and neon felt posters of retro yard sale finds. It’s a groovy cross between a coffee shop and craft beer brewery. There are stacks of board games to choose from, a pool table and various string instruments you can borrow during your stay. But this isn’t your average college bar, because Kavakaze sells kratom and kava on Call (now say that three times, real fast.)
Kratom and kava are touted by the proprietors and patrons to have many medicinal benefits such as helping with social anxiety and depression (good) and even halting breast cancer in some cases (whoa.) The seemingly miracle recreational drugettes however, are not currently regulated by the FDA, so during an information session earlier this month, Kavakaze twins Matthew and Michael were sure to specify that such bummer evidence is anecdotal.
In this stoner-esque Ted Talk, the brothers, along with regular customer and kava lover, Akhenaton (apparently not the Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty—I made the same mistake), provided a brief history of kava/kratom, the benefits of both and where the legality of the products stands today.
PSA: It’s always a red flag to hear that a single product can address a multitude of medical issues, such as calming properties that may relieve anxiety and stress-related symptoms such as muscle tension or spasms. It’s even more dangerous of a claim to advertise the unregulated product as a cure for substance addiction—and that’s the news being spread about kava; it can cure opiate addiction.
Researchers are looking into the potential benefits of kratom. The alkaloids found in kratom leaves dull pain receptors in the brain, it can provide substantial pain relief. Kratom is also being reviewed as an immune system booster, energy booster, sexual stimulant and also a supplement for those suffering from anxiety and stress.
Which, is when kava and kratom sound like better alternatives to pain medication. And they very well may be—as previously mentioned, we can’t really say for sure either way until tests, research and a standard aggregation of information have been completed. At the Kavakaze informational session, there was a shared “down with big pharma” sentiment. It should be noted that kava should not be used with alcohol or other medications. When combined with these substances, kava’s sedating effects will become exaggerated.
Rafael Marimón, an ex-marine and kava drinker of eight years, attended the information session. He was wearing a boot for his fractured foot. He told me he turned down pain medication because he knew he could turn to the alleged soothing power of kava.
I asked Kavakaze co-owner Michael about the potential risk of introducing a substitute substance like kava to curb addiction. Methadone, a synthetic opioid, is usually used in hopes of weaning someone from opioid abuse. But, methadone itself can become addictive, and is a harmful chemical. In addition to methadone, actual opioids such as OxyContin, Fentanyl, Lorcet, Vicodin, Dilaudid, Morphine and Norco are already adding to the addiction issue in our communities nationwide, kratom and kava might seem like potential solutions. But we still don’t know much about them.
Michael told stories of friends struggling with addiction who turned to kava and now consume kava daily. Now, isn’t that substituting a substance with another substance? Michael likens potential dependency on kava to caffeine or alcohol addiction, but he “doesn’t think it’s bad…really, any vice that’s going to tickle the receptors in your brain, you have the opportunity to become dependent.”
The advent of kava and kratom in the mainstream poses an interesting situation, although not unfamiliar—an alleged alternative medicine that has also been deemed a recreational drug and wannabe opioid. Homeopathic medicine has been proven to not be harmful in most cases because it doesn’t really have any active ingredients; re: doesn’t really do anything to you, especially since most are diluted. Kava and Kratom, however, aren’t just teas to soothe you, they do have active ingredients and could potentially cause harm (interactions with other drugs and side effects.)
So while the jury is still out, proceed with caution.
