Dr. Joseph Mercola Warns of Laws Against Natural Health Products

Friday, August 15, 2008

Dr. Joseph Mercola has been practicing natural healing methods for over two decades. His website, Mercola.com is known as one of the most popular natural health websites in the world.

Mercola.com provides the latest developments in the world of medicine, including the most controversial issues.

One of those creating the most buzz is Bill C-51, a new bill proposed by the Canadian government earlier this year which is threatening to drastically affect the neighboring country’s health climate.

Among the questionable changes Bill C-51 will bring if passed into law include shortening the process for approving new drugs. Also, with the current rate of drug licensing failure in Canada, around 70% of natural health products will be illegal, allowing government agents to sanction those who are merely sharing a “therapeutic product” with someone else.

So if you’re an American, why should you care?

If Canada adopts C-51, it will allow trade agreements, like the Codex Treaty, to be passed into law without approval from the Parliament. The United Nations-supported Codex Alimentarius Commission has classified nutrients as toxins. The United States has backed Codex to use a Risk Assessment, branch of toxicology, to determine the maximum level of a substance, including nutrients, which may be ingested without any visible biological effects.

Codex has been working to impose a universal maximum “safe” level on every legally produced, used and sold food supplement – vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc. – with “safe” signifying a level with NO physical effect.

The safety of supplements is likely to become evaluated using the toxicology scale if Codex guidelines become part of Canadian law through Bill C-51, putting pressure on the U.S. and Mexico to adopt the same regulations.

The domino effect sparked by Canada’s possible adoption of this bill may lead to millions of Americans not being able to use natural products to improve their health and treat certain illnesses.

Can you imagine not being allowed to use products like garlic, a therapeutic food, or Vitamin C tablets if the U.S. was to follow Canada’s lead?

Read more about this topic and other issues at Mercola.com or send your questions and reactions at Ask Dr. Mercola.