September 18, 2024 – Commercial Litigation Senior Counsel, Ben Noren was interviewed this week by New York Post for their coverage of the City’s crackdown on Kava and

The Post article “Cafe Serving Kava and Kratom Sues NYC for Shutting it Down Over ‘Dangerous’ teas” told the story of a Lower East Side retailer, who invested his life savings into a cafe serving tea infused with kava and kratom. Tobly McSmith, the owner of Hear & Now, claims the city has unjustly shut him down, labeling the beverages as “dangerous adulterants” and has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the city to allow him to reopen and Ben is representing him in the case.

His cafe was intended to provide a supportive space for individuals in recovery.

Kava, derived from a Pacific Island root, and kratom, an herbal substance from Southeast Asia, have both been used for centuries to promote relaxation and remain widely available in New York City, despite neither being approved as dietary supplements by the US Food and Drug Administration.

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