Please join our efforts and support this cause!

1. Sign our petition
2. Write to state legislators (see more information below)

Together, we can work to ensure kava’s rightful place as part of New York’s diverse cultural fabric. 

We are advocating for the recognition of traditionally prepared kava as a safe and celebrated beverage in New York State. Kava has been used for centuries in cultural and ceremonial traditions, and states such as Hawaii have successfully designated it as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) food item.

 Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar has been more than a lounge and tea bar—it is a unique experience. 

It has been a place for connection and creativity, celebrating the spirit of art and music in a non-alcoholic environment. Known for its underground location, relaxing traditional kava beverages, live music, and event offerings, this hidden gem has served as Ithaca’s alternative night-life venue since 2014. Sacred Root is a vibe! A space where people gather to relax, share ideas, and socialize in an eclectic non-alcoholic atmosphere. 

 It remains steadfast in its commitment to reintroducing traditionally prepared kava as soon as regulatory pathways allow. The café is actively engaging with state department of health and federal agencies to align with FDA and Codex standards, ensuring compliance while advocating for cultural equity and small business sustainability.
 

Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar released a statement about their response to the new regulation, saying: 

“Our mission has always been to create a space where people feel connected, inspired, and grounded. The recent regulatory changes have certainly challenged us, but they’ve also reinforced the importance of what we do and reminded us of our resilience. We’re not just a kava bar—we’re an underground tea sanctuary for creativity, art, music and friendship. We’re here to contribute to our community, and right now we need to evolve. We invite Ithaca to grow with us. We are a town who honors our small local businesses. We survived the pandemic, and we will overcome this challenge as well. We hope that our Ithaca community recognizes the hard work that we have put into our beautiful lounge for over a decade, and that they will continue to come out to show their support by visiting us and experiencing us anew. Because that’s what we do as neighbors, we support one another as best we can.  

We choose to see this moment as an opportunity to reimagine and to grow. Inspired by the traditions that define us, we are diversifying our menu, changing our name, and deepening our commitment to being a place that honors genuine connection, well-being, art, music, family and community.”