What is the story on CODEX ALIMENTARIUS? Obama signed it into law on June 10.

[BrklynLiberal]

Will it be the end of the natural vitamin and mineral world?

Wikipedia:
Controversy

The controversy over the Codex Alimentarius relates to a perception that it is a mandatory standard for food - including vitamin and mineral supplement - safety. Supporters of the Codex Alimentarius say that it is a voluntary reference standard for food and that there is no obligation on countries to adopt Codex standards as a member of either Codex or any other international trade organization. From the point of view of its opponents, however, one of the main causes of concern is that the Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference standard for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection.<2><3> Proponents argue that the use of Codex Alimentarius during international disputes does not exclude the use of other references or scientific studies as evidence of food safety and consumer protection.

It is reported that in 1996 the German delegation put forward a proposal that no herb, vitamin or mineral should be sold for preventive or therapeutic reasons, and that supplements should be reclassified as drugs.<4> The proposal was agreed, but protests halted its implementation.<4> The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was subsequently held July 4 - July 9, 2005.<5> Among the many issues discussed were the "Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements"<6>, which were adopted during the meeting as new global safety guidelines.<7> This text has been the subject of considerable controversy, in part because many member countries may choose to regulate dietary supplements as therapeutic goods or pharmaceuticals or by some other category. The text does not seek to ban supplements, but subjects them to labeling and packaging requirements, sets criteria for the setting of maximum and minimum dosage levels, and requires that safety and efficacy are considered when determining ingredient sources. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that the guidelines are "to stop consumers overdosing on vitamin and mineral food supplements." The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has said that the guidelines call "for labelling that contains information on maximum consumption levels of vitamin and mineral food supplements." The WHO has also said that the Guidelines "ensure that consumers receive beneficial health effects from vitamins and minerals." <8>

Similarities have been noted between the EU's Food Supplements Directive and the Codex Alimentarius Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.<9>

Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul has said that the Central American Free Trade Agreement "increases the possibility that Codex regulations will be imposed on the American public." <10>

Additional controversy has been expressed by proponents of ecologically and socially sustainable agriculture and food systems, such as the Slow Food movement<11>, who view the Codex Alimentarius as antithetical to this goal. According to the Manifesto on the Future of Food, the Codex Alimentarius has "codified policies designed to serve the interest of global agribusiness above all others, while actively undermining the rights of farmers and consumers".<12>

[LeftishBrit]

1. If it's anything like the EU directive, of course it's not the end of such supplements!

You can get a wide variety of vitamin and mineral supplements over the counter at any local chemist in Europe. I am 2 minutes' walk from a wide variety of such supplements (as well as getting Vitamin D and calcium supplements on NHS prescription).

This is just basic consumer protection that is being legislated. Ron Paul is just a monster of pure right-wing evil, who doesn't believe in consumer protection laws for ANYTHING, and he and those like him are scaremongering.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I hope you are right...but do you have the private drug companies and

insurance companies as such strong political influences as they are here in the US? I do not trust them not to make this into something from which they can profit...or at least they will make every effort to eliminate some competition.

[Orrex]

2. It's a libram for summoning up the spirits of the many who've died due to unregulated supplements

Wherefore have I aforetime said, and here repeat again, Do not call up Any that you cannot put down.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. What is a "libram"?

I could not find a definition for it.

[demwing]

5. From the World of Warcraft Wiki Page:

"Librams are Paladin-specific relics. Relics replace Ranged Weapons for Druids, Paladins, Shaman, and Death Knights. They typically give significant bonuses to a single spell rather than a general stat bonus of ranged weapons."


In other words, it's a made-up word for a made-up object which is used by wizard type characters in a very popular game to aid in the process of casting spells.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. thanks. Appreciate your quick response.

[Orrex]

8. It actually precedes WoW by more than five decades

Likely originating with Jack Vance in about 1950.

It's an artificial word that originally coined to mean "book" or "tome."

[demwing]

9. That is true, but in the context in which you used the word

"for summoning up the spirits of the many who've died" it seemed that the WoW reference to it being a tool used for casting spells was as apt as any. Was that not what you were going for?

[Orrex]

10. Nope. I was actually riffing on Lovecraft, from whence I stole the body of my post.

I'm sure that you're right about the WoW use of the term, but I haven't played any version of that game since Warcraft II, so I didn't know anything about that use of the word.

[Speck Tater]

7. Yet another boogie man to scare the uninformed. nt

[semillama]

11. indeed

Replace "vitamins and supplements" with "firearms" and the argument is the same the NRA uses against any type of firearm regulations.

[trotsky]

12. So he signed it on June 10th...

but the jack-booted thugs from the FDA haven't kicked down your door and pried your supplements from your cold, dead hands yet?

What gives? All the "BEST" health sites told me that was going to happen!