Is kava just as bad as alcohol?

I understand that many people are curious about the potential effects of kava, a traditional Pacific Islander drink made from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant. The question "Is KAVA just as bad as alcohol?" suggests a desire to compare the two substances in terms of their potential harms. But is it really fair to draw such a direct comparison? Alcohol is a widely consumed and well-researched psychoactive substance with a range of known effects, both positive and negative. Kava, on the other hand, is less well-known and may have different effects on different people. So, let's explore this question a bit further. Is kava just as bad as alcohol in terms of its potential harms? Or are there important differences to consider? And how do the benefits of kava, if any, compare to those of alcohol? These are the types of questions we'll need to address in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of this topic.