Posts by Eleanor
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It's a shame I've come so late to this thread, and that I have such limited time today to get stuck in, because I've been following this for a very long time, I've actually read the legislation (note to Russell - there are only about 1,000 pages to get through when you count the bills and the draft rules currently on the table).
The fact that so many commentators go on about "traditional Maori healers being exempt" is frankly an indication that the overall thrust of the bill is still eluding them. ALL PRACTITIONERS ARE EXEMPT. It's Products - hence the bill's name - that this legislation applies to. As in, what you buy on shelves.
As a professional health practitioner this would be all very well and good from my point of view. Now the products consumers use have to be prescribed products, ha ha, by me. Lovely for my business, and gives these effective products the respect they deserve (although when used correctly they are SAFE).
HOWEVER. How the hell am I going to source locally grown lavender / manuka / thyme essential oils??? WHo the hell would bother to harvest and produce these in our robustly healthy land from now on, if this bill gets through?
(Note: a simple petri dish lab test will prove the microbial efficacy of these essential oils; yes it is chemistry not quackery! Try it for yourself! Very simple).
A crying shame that access to our own abundantly growing herbal bounty will be reduced.
Why will it?
The manufacturing costs and bureaucracy.
Like I said, I don't have much time today, but put it this way: why WOULD you distil lavender oil on your farm if it means you're suddenly looking down the barrel of a $20,000 annual audit, compliance paperwork, box ticking, agents turning up unexpectedly to twiddle with your gas / liquid chromotographer...
You might say I have a vested interest. Yes. I love using New Zealand lavender oil. Manuka grows nowhere else - the best is from the East Cape and they might be alright up there - my source calls itself a pharmaceutical so maybe they can attract some big dosh - this would give them a global monopoly I would say.
Because nobody else will be able to afford to invent, innovate, distil, extract plant essences without being SLAMMED with costs and compliance.
I'll have to import products for my practice and business that grow quite happily here! What happened to supporting Kiwi-made?
Aromatology is an art as well as a science. I have enormous belief in NZ's potential to lead the creative field of natural cosmetics and therapeutic products that we can promote as honestly being GOOD for you.
My products straddle the cosmetic / therapeutic interface, and this legislation simply gives me reason to DUMB DOWN the information I give to consumers. Heaven forbid I promote their therapeutic properties - more trouble than it's worth!
So are consumers better off, information-wise?
Deeply ironic.
I already asked MedSafe (the government's official info source on this issue) about the NZ Herald article: they have no idea about its genesis and they can't verify it either way.
Is this the sort of information-flow that we as stakeholders will have to continue to put up with?
Thank goodness olive and avocado oils are food, therefore exempt from this bill - because dare I say it: they are good for you too.