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Codex and muddy waters
Good article; and our Congressman Geoff Davis has voted for the WTO and CAFTA
that implement these monstrosities against us. Geoff's votes are shameful
indeed.
Bernie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Dehner" <granny2272@yahoo.com>
To: "Ginny" <chetgin@cox-internet.com>; "Bernie" <bernieku@fuse.net>; "Bernie" <berniek@bavarianwaste.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 8:37 AM
Subject: Fwd: FW: Codex and muddy waters
>
>
>> Subject: FW: Codex and muddy waters
>> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 22:25:27 -0800
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Healthfreedom.net
>
>> Sent: 1/3/2006 6:21:33 PM
>> Subject: Codex and muddy waters
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> We know several of you are concerned and/or confused about Codex. We
>> hope the following helps you.
>>
>> Brief Codex Snapshot
>>
>> On the global front, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is
>> creating dozens of international food standards. There are 27
>> committees, each dealing with a specific area. The Codex Committee
>> on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (the
>> Committee) covers vitamins and minerals and has created the Codex
>> Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements (Guidelines) and
>> was recently adopted by the Committee.
>>
>> Why It Concerns Us
>>
>> Codex Alimentarius concerns us for many reasons, listed below are a
>> few of the reasons.
>>
>> 1) The United States, through representation to Codex by the Food
>> and Drug Administration (FDA) should not be involved in setting
>> international food standards. The FDA Modernization Act of 1997
>> expressly forbids the agency from participating in the harmonization
>> process for foods and dietary supplements. The agency has chosen,
>> however, to interpret this language to mean that it is not obligated
>> to participate but it may, at its own discretion, decide to do so.
>> This mean that unelected bureaucrats are representing the "will of
>> the American people" even after Congress told them not to. This is
>> the basis of our Codex position paper published several years ago.
>>
>> 2) While the Codex Alimentarius does not have any enforcement under
>> its own banner, it is through the World Trade Organization (WTO) that
>> it gets its real power. CAC is recognized by the WTO as an
>> international reference point for the resolution of disputes and that
>> the WTO can use any Codex document as a mandatory trade standard.
>> While the WTO does not have the power to overturn US law, it can
>> "force" changes through imposing trade sanctions.
>> Fines are daily as long as the domestic law remains in place.
>> Recently Lori Wallach from Public Citizen testified before Congress
>> and cited that in 42 out of 48 cases the WTO has ruled against the
>> US.
>>
>> 3) The CAC is representing what is best for industry, not for the
>> people. The CAC is powered by international industrial lobbying
>> groups. The original proposals for the food code came from
>> Germany: they were made by a panel sponsored by three giant drug
>> companies: Hoechst, Bayer and BASF.
>> Countries that regulate vitamins and minerals as drugs are not
>> covered by the Guidelines.
>> Interestingly, herbs do not fall under the same category as vitamins
>> and minerals - they are treated differently and have been removed
>> from consideration by Codex, at least for the moment.
>>
>> 4) There is concern that the Guidelines, acting as they are intended
>> to do, as worldwide standards for global trade, will create a
>> momentum pressuring supplement manufacturers to reformulate their
>> products so that they conform. This would be economically and
>> politically coercive and could straightjacket the industry, block out
>> innovation and remove some of the most effective products, many of
>> which are shown to be effective at (the
>> threatened) higher dosages. It would be difficult for the smaller to
>> medium companies to carry two product lines, one for export and one
>> for the domestic market, so the shelves in the U.S. could be affected
>> - whether or not the WTO was to use legal action. The Guidelines are
>> intended to serve as a template for containment (See Suzanne Harris's
>> article at the Law Loft and
>>
> http://www.coalitionforhealthfreedom.org/docs/Comments_on_CAFTA_v7.pdf
> .)
>> Like many changes that affect us the most, these decisions are made,
>> not in Congress, but in boardrooms and by bureaucrats, offshore,
>> quite beyond the reach of grassroots opinion, global regulators to
>> whom our legislators have surrendered their power.
>>
>> The framework for this is being introduced gradually and right now.
>> Later, when the effects are felt, it may be too late to change
>> things.
>>
>> These concerns are why we organized and hosted a 2-day Codex workshop
>> in April 2005. We brought together the leading health freedom
>> organizations Codex experts, and activists, both domestic and
>> international. We discussed the Codex issue and the potential threat
>> to the US. We strategized how we could work together and what would
>> have the most impact.
>>
>> The meeting was successful on two fronts. First and foremost, it
>> deepened relationships between organizations and showcased who we
>> wanted to be working with (those organizations and individuals who
>> were knowledgeable and credible). Secondly, a coalition did form
>> from the workshop. AAHF Executive Director, Brenna Hill is on the
>> Board of Directors along with Rob Verkerk (Alliance for Natural
>> Health), Frank Cuny (CA Citizens for Health Freedom), Ronnie Cummins
>> (Organic Consumers
>> Association) among others and we're pleased to announce that Dr.
>> Jonathan Wright has agreed to be on the Board as well. We have been
>> working quietly behind the scenes and will be going public with our
>> strategies shortly. In the meantime check out
>> www.coalitionforhealthfreedom.org for more information.
>>
>> What Now?
>>
>> In July 2005, the Committee adopted the Guidelines for Vitamin and
>> Mineral Food Supplements, despite their many failings. It is
>> important to note that the Guidelines are nothing more than a loose
>> framework. The Committee is now turning towards the science, as
>> Scott Tips from National Health Federation writes "filling in the
>> framework of those Guidelines with numbers and identities."
>> Essentially the Committee intends to set maximum upper limits for the
>> potency of every food-supplement ingredient (the "numbers") that will
>> appear on the not-yet-created positive list of allowable ingredients
>> (the "identities"). The Guidelines are done - they are finalized and
>> approved. We lost that battle and need to focus on the science.
>> This is the really dangerous part and should be one of the top
>> priorities of the health freedom movement in dealing with Codex.
>>
>> Muddying the Waters
>>
>> Without getting into each and every misconception out there (isn't
>> the Internet great?), we wanted to focus on a few common threads that
>> come up often.
>>
>> There have been claims that a Codex Congressional Hearing/Briefing
>> was to be held last September and some people stated that they were
>> invited to speak.
>> That was not true and we're unsure of where the misinformation
>> happened. What we do know is that Rep. Ron Paul scheduled the Sept.
>> 18 briefing to discuss his bill, HR 4282-Health Freedom Protection
>> Act with speakers Jonathan Emord and Drs. Whitaker and Simone. Other
>> people sent in their resumes to be considered as a speaker but they
>> were not invited and the briefing was not about Codex (though when
>> the time is right, we'll work with other organizations and Congress
>> to schedule an event).
>> We were surprised to see an email sent a few days before the event
>> declaring that Big Pharma was responsible for changing the agenda and
>> getting speakers pulled. Not true. There is also no truth to the
>> email that followed shortly "correcting" the first email by claiming
>> it was other health freedom organizations that changed the agenda due
>> to jealousy. Most of the organizations that we work with are here to
>> make a difference, to achieve results - not build egos, make money,
>> or other nefarious reasons and I think our track record shows that.
>> I also find it a bit laugable for someone to suggest that dedicated
>> health freedom ally, Rep. Ron Paul could be so easily swayed --
>> either by pharmaceutical industry or health freedom organizations.
>>
>> You might have heard about a Citizen's Petition to the FDA to abide
>> by US laws and remove its support for Codex Alimentarius. This is
>> ineffective but inoffensive, if it makes you feel better than by all
>> means, sign it, but please note that in our opinion, it will have
>> little to no effect. There is a certain attraction to "action" so we
>> understand that it makes people feel that they are doing something
>> but please don't get your hopes up about its success and don't let
>> this be your "one and only" action.
>>
>> After the July 2005 meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in
>> Rome, a number of websites picked up a report from a group claiming a
>> "miracle" had occurred, and that the WHO and the FAO had expressed
>> "significant displeasure with the anti-health approach to nutrition
>> taken by Codex over the past 4 decades." Health freedom activist,
>> Paul Taylor wrote an article for Dr. Rath Foundation which is a
>> detailed analysis of transcripts and describes how these assertions
>> are largely either mistaken or greatly exaggerated.
>>
>> There has also been talk of the "Revised Vitamin and Mineral
>> Guideline" which was created by Jim Turner for Citizens for Health.
>> You might of seen news about another group that has been talking with
>> a few small African countries about adopting these guidelines in
>> place of the Codex guidelines. What has not been discussed is the
>> MECHANISM that would allow countries to utilize the Guideline in
>> place of the official Codex guidelines (at least that we've seen).
>> We'd like to see what Citizens for Health does with the guidelines
>> and how they best see these "alternatives" being used. In the
>> meantime it's nice to think that we can edit guidelines, legislation,
>> and policies and then talk people into implementing them but that's
>> not how the world works.
>>
>> When reading information online (or listening to a speaker), ask
>> yourself the following: Is this coming from a reliable source? Do
>> they have a history of success? Are other people or organizations
>> that you respect involved with them?
>> Does what they are saying make sense to you? We strongly encourage
>> you do your own research before making your decision.
>>
>> To help you in your search, here are a few of the organizations that
>> we trust with credible knowledge about Codex:
>>
>> Alliance for Natural Health
>> (www.alliance-natural-health.org)
>> American Holistic Health Association (www.ahha.org) Coalition for
>> Health Freedom
>> (www.coalitionforhealthfreedom.org)
>> Dr. Rath Foundation (www4.dr-rath-foundation.org) National Health
>> Federation (http://www.thenhf.com)
>>
>> Action
>>
>> I wish we could share with you a better action plan but unfortunately
>> we have to keep quiet a bit longer. What we can share with you is
>> that there are organizations doing something - it's just not always
>> obvious or flashy.
>>
>> Alliance for Natural Health is working on strategies to influence the
>> science being decided at Codex.
>> The National Health Federation is the only health freedom
>> organization with official Codex observer status. And of course,
>> several organizations ARE working together on this tough topic, under
>> The Coalition for Health Freedom. The Coalition believes in taking
>> pertinent action, providing credible and accurate information, and
>> developing effective strategies.
>>
>> The Health Freedom Foundation and American Association for Health
>> Freedom looks forward to providing you with more information about
>> Codex initiatives. In the meantime, please consider making a
>> tax-deductible donation to The Health Freedom Foundation to fund
>> Codex activities.
>>
>> Click here to make a donation online (or print form to mail) Call
>> 1.800.230.2762
>> Mail: HFF, PO Box 1002, Great Falls, VA 22066 (Re:
>> Codex)
>>
>> You can also purchase the We Become Silent DVD (prices include
>> shipping & handling: members
>> $23.50/nonmembers: $27.50). This new documentary by international
>> award-winning filmmaker Kevin P Miller of Well TV exposes the threats
>> posed by European and global regulation to medical freedom of choice.
>>
>> Click here to purchase online (or print form to
>> mail)
>> Call 1.800.230.2762
>> Mail form and check to HFF, Po Box 1002, Great Falls, VA 22066
>>
>> We hope you find this information helpful, please feel free to share.
>> We try to do our best not to discourage individuals from supporting
>> other organizations but sometimes the danger is too high not to speak
>> up. We always encourage you to make your voice heard and its only
>> fair that at critical times we share our voice with you even on
>> subjects that we wished we did not have to broach.
>>
>> Here's to a successful and healthy year and we look forward to
>> working with you.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Brenna Hill
>> Executive Director
>> Health Freedom Foundation/American Association for Health Freedom PO
>> Box 1002 Great Falls, VA 22066
>> 1.800.230.2762
>> 703.759.6711 (fax)
>> www.healthfreedom.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>> Copyright © 2005. Health Freedom Foundation. All
>> rights reserved. 9912 Georgetown Pike Suite D-2,
>> P.O. Box 458. Great Falls, Virginia, 22066
>>
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