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" Now that this thread is winding down...I just wanted to say thanks for the great laughs this morning. That was FUN to watch.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled job hunting down little people to oppress."

Who said this thread is winding down. I took off for a few hours to have some fun with my family. I'm still here, and ready and willing to debate with ANYONE who has something worthwhile to say. You personal attack me? This is the last resort of mind numbed robots shilling for the status quo.

I want to debate, so get some proof, beyond snopes, beyond quackwatch....

Some proof that come August 1st we are not going to have a vitamin gestapo in America.

Jenny

Honestly, I don't want to debate this. Thanks for the offer. I did not intend to personally attack you, and I am sorry you felt that way.

I do, however, find these kinds of hysterics funny, mostly because I have seen them throughout my life and they tend to bring more pain and suffering to the hysterical than anyone else and they have never "come true." If that means I am a mind-numbed robot, well, call me R2D2. I tend to be unafraid of the "bogeymen" and don't see the devil behind every bush or even every Bush. Call me pollyannaish, as many have, but it has worked out quite well for me.

That being said, if it comes true and it is too late because I did not heed your warning, rest assured I will be here to apologize to you. Finally, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. You are going to need it.

I want to debate, so get some proof, beyond snopes, beyond quackwatch....
Some proof that come August 1st we are not going to have a vitamin gestapo in America.

You insipid twit.

You and your like-minded conspiracy freaks want 'proof'?

No problem. Read it for yourself, right from the federal government itself:

Q - Why won't these Guidelines restrict U.S. consumers' access to vitamin and mineral supplements?

Some consumers mistakenly believe that if Codex should adopt guidelines on vitamin and mineral food supplements that are more restrictive than DSHEA, the U.S. would be required to automatically change its laws and regulations to comply with the international standard. Some consumers have expressed concerns that the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its trade dispute settlement panels may place pressure on the U.S. to change its laws because of international trade agreements such as the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), which references Codex as the international organization for food safety standards.

We see no basis for these concerns. First, the DSHEA covers a much broader range of dietary supplements than the vitamin and mineral supplements that are the subject of the Codex Guidelines. Moreover, for supplements covered by these Guidelines, we note the following:

The SPS Agreement does not require a country to adopt any international standard. Rather, the SPS Agreement provides that members may base their Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures either on international standards, guidelines or recommendations, where they exist, or may establish measures that result in a higher level of protection if there is a scientific justification, or if a country determines it to be appropriate in accord with provisions of the SPS Agreement (SPS Agreement, Article 3(1) and (3)).

WTO and WTO dispute panels do not have the power to change U.S. law. If a WTO decision in response to a dispute settlement panel is adverse to the U.S., only Congress and the Administration can decide whether to implement the panel recommendation, and, if so, how to implement it.

For dietary supplements, it is unlikely that another country will accuse the U.S. of imposing a trade barrier for the importation of supplement products into the U.S. marketplace because the U.S. laws and regulations are generally broader in scope and less restrictive than the international standard.

However, other countries with more restrictive laws and regulations for dietary supplement products than the U.S. may create trade barriers to the importation of products manufactured by the U.S. dietary supplement industry. Thus, the U.S. government's involvement in the setting of international standards can help minimize the potential of trade barriers to U.S products in international trade.

Further, there is no basis for the concern that the Codex Guidelines on Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements would require dietary supplements be sold as prescription drugs in the United States. First, there is nothing in the Guidelines that suggests that supplements be sold as drugs requiring a prescription. Second, U.S. regulatory agencies are bound by the laws established by Congress, not by Codex standards. Third, because of our generally less restrictive standards, it is unlikely that the trade dispute would be brought against the U.S.

In summary, U.S. consumers' access to a broad array of dietary supplements under DSHEA would not be changed in any way by Codex's adoption of guidelines on vitamin and mineral food supplements.

----------------------------------------------------

Don't believe it? Here's the URL:

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dscodex.html#restrict

That still isn't enough Jen-Jen?

Have I got a deal for you.

Since you seem to believe this conspiratorial horsesh*t about Vitamins being banned, made prescription drugs, whatever, I'll make a wager with you:

IF, by the end of this current year (December 31, 2005), there is a 'Vitamin Gestapo' in America (nice hyperbole by the way), I will personally pay you the sum of $1000.00 in U.S. currency, OR if you can't stand the thought of taking my hard earned cash, I will make an equivalent donation to the charitable organization of your choice. However in order for this wager to be valid, YOU must agree to reciprocate in the event that I am proven right (that all of this nonsense about Codex, DSHEA, Vitamins, etc., is nothing but paranoia), that YOU will pay ME the sum of $1000.00 in U.S. currency OR (should I so elect) make the equivalent donation to the charity or organization of MY choice (hint: Jim Robinson? Prepare for a cash infusion at the end of the year, LOL).

So there you have it baby, now spit them vitamins outta your mouth, put your MONEY where that mouth is, and we'll see how this all turns out in only 178 days.

Now if you have the courage of your conspiracy, err, convictions, you should be more than willing to step right up and take my money.

Or, you could slither away and STFU (S-ilence T-his F-oolish U-ndertaking).

[cue Foghorn Leghorn voice] Ah say, ah say, ahma WAITIN to heah yo response!