The objective of Foods are NOT drugs is to provide information about the benefits of dietary supplements, a whole food, organic diet and to promote the establishment of freedom of choice in health care.

At Foods are NOT Drugs and the Health Empowerment News Podcast, we are not licensed health care professionals. If you have questions about a specific medical condition please contact the appropriate practitioner to help you with your problem.
If you have general comments, opinions, questions or disagree with a post or podcast please leave a comment at the bottom of the article or voice mail feedback for the podcast. If you have a vitamin related question for Croft, he can answer it on Health Empowerment News.

Leave a message on the voice mail feedback line:

604.816.0356 Canada
415.251.3625 United States

Subscribe to Health Empowerment News…

Please rate this show in i-Tunes. Each 5 star rating improves the distribution of this show. Thank you!

Subscribe to Health Empowerment News and learn about:

If you value and enjoy the show please support us with a small donation.

Your support is appreciated!

Thank you!

Health Freedom:

Health Freedom is under attack in North America and around the world. This site is dedicated to providing information and media about the benefits of natural health products, alternative medicine and the movement to protect our freedom to choose how to deal with illness in our own bodies.

Natural Health Products are being regulated off the market in Canada. The current regulations treat Natural Health Products as a subset of chemical pharmaceutical drugs. This over- regulation is harmful to the Canadian Manufacturers of NHP’s and is preventing many innovative products from the United States from crossing the border. In 2004 the Natural Health Product Directorate was established creating a regulatory framework where products have to be “approved” to be authorized for sale in Canada. Each product needs a NPN (Natural Product Number) in order to be legally on the shelves. The problem is that Health Canada is regulating NHP’s as if they were Pharmaceutical Drugs. Health Canada understands how to regulate drugs. Drugs are generally NOT safe and have to be regulated carefully and strictly due to the inherent risks associated with them. Natural Health Products, on the other hand, are inherently safe and should be presumed so, with very few exceptions.

Bill C-51 was the continuation of the Drug Style regulation of Natural Health Products. It is the enforcement side of the regulations which would allow Health Canada and it’s inspectors to have sweeping powers to seize property without reporting to a court of law, defined a new term – “therapeutic product” which groups NHP’s in with drugs, allows for future changes to be made to the Food and Drug act without parliamentary review, and by it’s nature limits our right to choose how we want to look after our own bodies.

Bill C-52 (Consumer Products Act) had similar affects on our fundamental rights and freedoms. Both Bill C-51 and C-52 move away from the rule of law and are creating a regulatory environment in Canada that every Canadian should understand is changing the our fundamental rights and freedoms.

Bill C-51 and C-52 did not pass third reading due to the federal election being called.

Bill C-6 is the replacement for Bill-52 and it passed third reading in the house of commons in June 2009. Before Bill C-6 passed it was amended to explicitly exclude natural health products.  A small victory but nevertheless the passing of this bill is a blow to Liberty and Personal Freedom in Canada and a is part of disturbing trend in most of the  English speaking world where similar legislation has recently been passed.

Bill C-6 has many of the same provisions that made C-51 and C-52 dangerous
Bill C-6 abolishes the law of trespass
Bill C-6 gives inspectors unprecedented power

What can we do?

• Get active
• Get informed
• Inform others
• Read the Charter of Health Freedom
• Support the Canadian Charter of Health Freedom

The Charter of Health Freedom is a grassroots citizens movement and was launched on September 10th, 2008 at rallies across the Country.  Drafted by Shawn Buckley, president of the Natural Health Products Protection Association, the Charter of Health Freedom balances consumer protection with the right of the individual to make their own health decisions.

In the United States the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 protects the Natural Health Industry and allows a product to be marketed within the USA as long as it meets label guidelines and manufacturing safety standards. However, this protection could be at risk in the near future

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may be reformed soon, splitting the agency into two separate organizations. One for food and one for drugs. At first glance it look like this is a good idea. But it brings up an important question… Are Natural Health products going to be regulated as foods or as drugs?

Click on the subscribe button on the right side of the page to be notified when there is new information posted on Foods are NOT Drugs!