February 1, 2010

Contents:

1. Strict Ban of Cosmetic Pesticides Urged for BC
2. Do You Want an Anti-Cancer Drug in Canadian Processed Food?
3. CHFA Statement on NAPRA Directive
4. HANS Invites New Advertisers

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Strict Ban of Cosmetic Pesticides Urged for BC

by HANS staff

Take Action by February 15th!

An unprecedented number of health and environment organizations have formed a coalition to urge the British Columbia government to pass leading-edge legislation to prohibit the sale and use of toxic lawn and garden chemicals.

The coalition has released a statement outlining four main reasons a strong ban is appropriate:
1. Cosmetic pesticide use is a public health issue, particularly for children;
2. Pesticide bans work;
3. Alternatives are available and good for business; and
4. There is broad public support for such a ban in BC

More than half of BC residents (56 percent) have no protection from scientifically proven harmful pesticide exposure, according to the non-profit organization Pesticide Free BC, because they live where there are no pesticide bylaws. Meanwhile, in Quebec only four percent of homes with a lawn or garden were using chemical pesticides one year after province-wide regulations were fully implemented in 2007.

The coalition is asking that the ban be passed in 2010 and implemented within two years of the government's current mandate.

Some of the 18 organizations that make up the coalition include Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Sierra Club BC, Toxic Free Canada, Inspire Health, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Green Peace, David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.

For more information, to read the coalition statement and to take action (by February 15th deadline) go to: http://www.pesticidefreebc.org/index.php?option=com_...

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Do You Want an Anti-Cancer Drug in Canadian Processed Food?

by Sandra Tonn

Contact the Government by February 21st!

Health Canada says getting asparaginase into baked and fried food is a "high priority". Asparaginase, by the way, is usually injected into leukemia patients, where it breaks down asparagine, an amino acid that is thought to kill cancer cells.

Junk food manufacturers such including Baking Association of Canada, McCain Foods and Frito Lay Canada are giving the initiative the thumbs up, but what about you? Do you think this drug should be added to breads, crackers, donuts, cakes, French fries, potato chips and other processed and junk foods?

Health Canada's thinking behind this strategy is to counter the high levels of acrylamide, a probable carcinogen formed in some food after high-temperature frying or baking. Those against food additives argue that there are other, more natural, ways to neutralize the damage of acrylamide. For example, reports from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, include studies that found the herb rosemary effectively reduces the acrylamide content in food by up to 60 percent.

Both logic and science tell us that avoiding cheap, heavily processed foods is the best way to avoid this and other cancer-causing substances. In addition, if food manufacturers cooked with lower temperatures there would be lower levels of acrylamide in food.

Personally, it makes no sense to me to inject food that is already dead and unhealthy to make it possibily less cancer-causing. To me,  a government campaign on disease prevention through healthy food choices would be a better place to put time, research and our tax dollars. But that's just me. What about you?

For the government's take on this initiative and to give your feedback by February 21, 2010 visiting the following link:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/_dec2...

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CHFA Statement on NAPRA Directive

by CNW Group

The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has issued a directive to the provinces requesting that pharmacists not sell Natural Health Products (NHPs) without a Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number for Homeopathic Medicine (DIN-HM). NAPRA did not engage in consultations with industry participants who will be adversely affected by this move.

This is a self-serving directive and is inconsistent with the spirit of Health Canada's current Compliance and Enforcement Policy for NHPs. The items currently for sale but lacking a DIN or NPN have submitted formulation and safety data and been assigned a submission number by Health Canada and will continue to be readily available in other stores. It is far from clear that in its short-sightedness, NAPRA is fully aware of the impact its move will have on suppliers of safe NHPs all across Canada.

To read the full statement go to: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January20...

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HANS Invites New Advertisers

Are you looking to get your product or service out to aware, conscious and savvy consumers?

Our Health Action team creates a compelling magazine that appeals to Canadians who want independent editorial and are interesting in creating change--individually and collectively. We offer thought-provoking articles on alternative  and complimentary medicine, natural health products, organics, food safety issues, environmental pollution and more.

We print 30,000 copies quarterly with national distribution through subscription, natural food stores and businesses, health offices and high traffic locations in the Vancouver area. Ad prices start as low as $157 for a pocket sized ad. For a media kit e-mail enews@hans.org

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