FDA attempts to regulate herbs and supplements as drugs...any thoughts?

Health freedom action alert: FDA attempting to regulate supplements, herbs and juices as "drugs"

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"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov

Sounds like the usual BS to me.

It is like the whole Kava kava thing. You used to be able to buy kava kava in the grocery store, but there were people out there who abused it and hurt their liver by doing so. Now it is illegal. I don't see why people who use something responsibly should have to go without because a handful of people can not use it in moderation. If they don't have enough sense to not eat a whole bottle every day, then they deserve the consequences.

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

Agreed.

Which is why I don't understand such things as "Marijuana is bad!" but Tylenol is sold over the counter. I wonder if the FDA has any idea how many kids I've had as patients in a hospital who swallowed 9 or 10 tylenol as a suicide attempt, or any other stupid reasons? How about the kids who roll into the ER after having abused cough syrup when no adults supervised the use?

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"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov

I dont know how it is according to FDA rules, but here in Europe, we have three large categories:

Food
Food supplements
drugs

Drugs are heavily regulated and need very tight testing for proving that they actually work as well as for finding out side effects.
Food needs no explanation I guess.

Food supplements are stuff normal food has, but in an enriched form. For example Vitamin pills would belong to this. Those food supplements dont need much of testing. But they must not claim to cure specific illnesses, because if you raise such a claim you must categorize it as drug with all the consquences.

As you can think those food supplements are mostly grey area stuff. Its would you can find ads in the women magazines, claiming everything at the same time.

Are you referring to that with your article emptipepsi? If you do, then I am very much for it that the FDA cracks down on it. Because effectively its a huge business that bases on nothing else than fraud. Hardly any of those food supplements helps you in any way (you can be lucky if it doesnt harm) They exist only to evade the strict drug rules. Rules that guarantee you that what they claim is actually true. The customer still can choose, but the producer can't lie anymore. Thats the difference.

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"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"