Meet Kava Tea, a Prescription-Free Alternative to Xanax

What is kava tea and should it be legal? The potion has caused at least one DUI.

 

For centuries, Pacific Islanders have been drinking kava, a physioactive "tea" of sorts made from the root of a plant in the pepper family. A variety of kava species grow across the islands, some more potent than others. But their basic effect, when ground and mixed with water, is the same: to relax you.

Kava roots contain a mix of stress-fighting compounds called kavalactones, which act on the nervous system to various sedative and numbing affects. Drink a cup of kava and your lips and tongue will go numb and your muscles will relax. Depending on how much you drink, and how potent the brew, that feeling will last anywhere from a few hours to most of the night. And unless you really

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URL: 
http://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/7/23/9017651/meet-kava-tea-a-legal-psychoactive-alternative-to-alcohol