“Health Freedom may not be on the front burner for most in Washington, but this is exactly the time when sneaky things happen in Washington.”
POSSIBLE BAN ON BULK CAFFEINE POWDER (BCP).
In the past few months, at least two confirmed deaths have been linked to the use of BCP. On December 9, 2014, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a Citizens Petition to “Ban the Retail Distribution of Pure and Highly Concentrated Caffeine Sold in Powder Form as a Dietary Supplement.” On January 22, 2015, Six U.S. senators supported the Petition filed by (CSPI) by sending a letter of support to Dr. Hamburg of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). The United Natural Product Alliance (UNPA) has made a no-sale policy of selling BCP as a condition for membership. While many in the industry support the ban, Dr. Daniel Fabricant, CEO of Natural Product Association, has a different opinion, he worries that this is a situation where people are overdosing and not following label instructions. Fabricant thinks if the FDA finds a risk they should ban the products, but he states, “we don’t want to get into a position where Senators are using a court public opinion to regulate the industry.” He says the FDA should “make a decision based on science.” Nature’s Sunshine Legal Department will continue to monitor and update.
MINNESOTA PROPOSES A GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM (GMO) LABELING BILL.
Minnesota Introduced Bills number SF335 and HF351, to the Senate and House on January 26, 2015. If passed, the bills will take effect January, 2017, and will require the wording “Produced with Genetic Engineering” to be place on packaging in a “clear and conspicuous” manner. Alaska, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont have already adopted GMO labeling laws. Nature’s Sunshine Legal Department will monitor and update.
FINAL AMENDMENT TO COOLING-OFF RULE APPROVED BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
On January 6, 2015, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) approved the final amendment to the Cooling-Off Rule. Previously, the rule stated it was unfair and deceptive for door-to-door sales people to fail to provide consumers with disclosures regarding their right to cancel sales contracts within three business days of a transaction if the sale was valued at more than $25.00. The amended rule took effect on March 13, 2015. The rule distinguishes between sales at a buyer’s residence and sales at other locations. The rule retains the $25.00 limit for in home sales, and places a $130.00 limit for sales located in temporary locations (i.e. Retail stores). The reason for retaining the $25.00 limit was to “discourage high-pressure sales tactics and deception that can occur during in home solicitations.” This information is provided by NSP’s Legal Department for informational purposes.