Outlawing Vitamins

[Northcott]

Lobbyists from the big drug companies have been working for the last few years to try and get politicians to restrict sale of common vitamins and herbal remedies in Europe, Canada, and the USA. From cold remedies such as echineacha (sp?) to more common elements in daily vitamins. It seems silly -- perhaps even too stupid to be true -- but stupidity in government is the price we pay when we cease to pay attention to what's going on.

Funny, but when Mel Gibson is sober he actually makes a pretty compelling point:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IV2olDA0w8U

[Limper]

Lobbyists from the big drug companies have been working for the last few years to try and get politicians to restrict sale of common vitamins and herbal remedies in Europe, Canada, and the USA. From cold remedies such as echineacha (sp?) to more common elements in daily vitamins. It seems silly -- perhaps even too stupid to be true -- but stupidity in government is the price we pay when we cease to pay attention to what's going on.

Funny, but when Mel Gibson is sober he actually makes a pretty compelling point:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IV2olDA0w8U

The thought that drug companies want to outlaw vitamins makes me want to take them for some reason.

I just can't bear to watch Gibson though so if I missed the point of your post forgive me.

[Northcott]

Basically it was just a: "Hey people, wake the fuck up! Make sure your politicians are working for you, not against you" type of ad.

It constantly blows my mind that in this day and age, when politicians are clucking over this "obesity epidemic" that they're willing to curtail or remove freedoms that aid people in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and will sink money into PR to make sure that the public accepts it like stupid fucking sheep.

[Limper]

Basically it was just a: "Hey people, wake the fuck up! Make sure your politicians are working for you, not against you" type of ad.

It constantly blows my mind that in this day and age, when politicians are clucking over this "obesity epidemic" that they're willing to curtail or remove freedoms that aid people in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and will sink money into PR to make sure that the public accepts it like stupid fucking sheep.

The public are stupid fucking sheep or at least 80% of them are and thats enough to keep the politicians in business.

[FeatsofClay]

I once had a doctor tell me that the end result of folks taking so many vitamins was that the US had the worlds most valuable urine.

Still sucks to outlaw them, but made me laugh.

[Northcott]

I once had a doctor tell me that the end result of folks taking so many vitamins was that the US had the worlds most valuable urine.

Still sucks to outlaw them, but made me laugh.

There's debateable benefits to higher doses of Vitamins C, D, E, and A. Vitamin B complexes tend to be great for reducing stress, instead of using drugs. The motion hasn't just been made toward vitamins, but also (unsurprisingly) toward herbal remedies that quietly compete with big-ticket items from the drug companies.

[Brynja]

I take a womens multi, a seperate folic acid, a calcium and my crazy meds- let me just say I feel it when I don't take the vitamins. I feel a bit more sluggish and shit aches.

[Pigs in Space]

I take a womens multi, a seperate folic acid, a calcium and my crazy meds- let me just say I feel it when I don't take the vitamins. I feel a bit more sluggish and shit aches.

Yeah, that happens to me when I skip the morning vodka.

[Northcott]

Yeah, that happens to me when I skip the morning vodka.

You're one hardcore motherfucker, Coop.

[Varaj]

I personally very much in favor of companies not being able to make claims unless they have been backed up by research. I'm also very much in favor of of requiring what a clear understandable dosage system be required so that if you are buying garlic extract you know exactly what you are getting.
I'm also in favor of making many more medicines over the counter.

[Pigs in Space]

Gotta keep the cheese grater in shape man.

[Ancalagon]

I personally very much in favor of companies not being able to make claims unless they have been backed up by research. I'm also very much in favor of of requiring what a clear understandable dosage system be required so that if you are buying garlic extract you know exactly what you are getting.
I'm also in favor of making many more medicines over the counter.

thank you.

I would also argue that regulations ARE needed for herbal products. I'm speaking as a toxicologist here - there is some fucked up shit out there. Natural =/= safe! You have fraudulent products, you have idiots who think "hey, this herb is good, so we'll do an alcohol extract so to make it more potent!" and don't realise that they are concentrating TOXIC compounds along with the active ingredients etc etc.

There was a Neem (some herbal product) toothpaste that was banned in Canada recently, because not ONLY did it contain diethylene glycol, it ALSO contained harmfull levels of bacteria!

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2007/2007_108_e.html

Yeah, the government is REALLY evil for wanting to regulate that shit!

[Northcott]

I personally very much in favor of companies not being able to make claims unless they have been backed up by research. I'm also very much in favor of of requiring what a clear understandable dosage system be required so that if you are buying garlic extract you know exactly what you are getting.
I'm also in favor of making many more medicines over the counter.

I'm in favour of all those things as well. However, companies have been nailed for spurious claims already -- that's why laws regarding veracity in advertising exist. Weakly enforced, but they exist.

The current legislation tabled is constructed of very loose language, and allows them disturbing leeway in deciding just what qualifies as a 'drug' by their definition. We absolutely need greater clarity on what is in the foods and supplements we put in our bodies, and penalties for companies making spurious claims or using unlisted 'filler' should be severe. But the current attempt looks like more Big Brother control over what people are allowed to consider putting in their bodies -- and that sets off all kinds of alarm bells for me.


I feel like I've come full circle. As a teen I was blindly rebellious, lashing out at authority figures just for the fun of it. As an adult, I became more conservative, and adopted what I thought was a balanced approach. Now with all this nutritional mumbo-jumbo, I'm feeling like governmental authorities can't be trusted to give us straight answers -- never mind decide what's good for us.

[Northcott]

I think you're missing the bigger picture, Anc.

Some time ago I heard that Pfizer was lobbying to have herbs that affect testosterone levels in males put on the banned/dangerous substances list -- in spite of herbs such as tribestus tribulus, avena sativa (an oat seed), and longjack having no harmful side-effects. Pfizer, of course, makes Viagra.

In (iirc) 2003, the major US drug companies started a massive lobbying effort in Europe to have herbal remedies classified as drugs, allowing them control over that industry.

The current push with the FDA in the USA would include basic vitamins in this list. I'd like to think we can both agree that you've got to dose incredibly heavy on Vitamin C or B to get a toxic effect, and that restricting sales of these based on prescription would be both wasteful and an unnecessary burden on our medical system.