Today, the Kava Coalition celebrated another important kava update in California. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Environmental Health Branch updated its notice to retail businesses to clarify that kava steeped only in water to brew tea and consumed as a single-ingredient conventional food is permitted.
The notice also confirmed that prepackaged, sealed dietary supplements containing kava may be sold if they are properly labeled as dietary supplements, include a Supplement Facts panel, and do not make health claims.
This update follows ongoing dialogue between the County and the Kava Coalition, and comes on the heels of revised guidance earlier this month from the California Department of Public Health, which clarified in its Consumer Facts Kava 2026 document that kava steeped only in water and consumed as a single-ingredient beverage would generally not be regulated as a food additive. The clarification reflects consistent application of existing law, while longstanding federal advisories from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding kava-containing dietary supplements remain in place.
“The Kava Coalition is thrilled about this update,” said Douglas La Rose, Executive Director of the Kava Coalition. “Like the recent CDPH clarification, this notice gives kava consumers and businesses in Los Angeles clear guidance so they can continue preparing traditional kava with confidence, honoring its cultural significance and long history of responsible use.”
California is home to one of the largest Pacific Islander populations in the continental United States, including communities from Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and other kava-producing cultures. For these communities, kava is not only a social beverage but a cornerstone of cultural practice, ceremony, and identity. The updated guidance in Los Angeles provides meaningful cultural recognition while supporting small businesses and community gathering spaces across the state.
The Kava Coalition views this clarification as another significant step forward for public understanding, regulatory consistency, and cultural recognition of kava and hopes to see this type of guidance mirrored in other counties throughout California and states throughout the country.
About Kava Coalition
The Kava Coalition is an alliance of noble kava consumers, experts, and industry leaders committed to advancing kava education, advocacy, and choice. By promoting responsible consumption, market transparency, and cultural respect, the Coalition works to ensure that noble kava is widely recognized, accessible, and valued as a safe, pro-social beverage. For more information, visit www.kavacoalition.org.
Media Contact
Douglas La Rose
info@kavacoalition.org
