Can you drink kava at work?

That depends on the work and on your employer, and the honest answer is that kava is better suited to the end of the day than the middle of it.

Where it is clearly not appropriate: any role involving driving, operating machinery, working at height, or anything else where being physically relaxed carries a risk. Kava is a relaxant, and the same properties that make it pleasant in the evening make it unsuitable in those settings. This is not a grey area.

Your employer's policy applies regardless of the law. Kava is legal in the US and not a controlled substance, but workplaces are entitled to set their own rules on psychoactive products, and many make no distinction between categories. If you are unsure, ask rather than assume — a policy written before kava was widely available may not mention it while still clearly covering it.

What kava actually does. It relaxes you physically while leaving thinking clear — which is the difference from alcohol. But relaxed is still relaxed, and a working day usually asks for something other than that. Most regular drinkers treat kava as an after-work drink for the same reason most people don't have a beer at lunch.

A more sensible fit:

• After work rather than during it
• Evenings, social occasions, winding down
• Not before anything requiring alertness or coordination

Do not drive after drinking kava — covered separately, and worth reading if your work involves any driving at all, including a commute.