Kava Confidential: What to Know About This Alcohol Alternative

If you have never heard of Kava then you’re not alone.  Kava is a plant in the pepper family that is native to the islands of the western Pacific.  Pacific islanders have used kava for thousands of years in ways that are similar to how we use alcohol in Western cultures.  For Pacific islanders, kava has been used in ceremonies as well as medicinal and recreational applications.  The fact that alcohol and kava are used in similar manners is not surprising given the significant overlap between the two substances. 

How are alcohol and kava similar?