European law to ban the sale of all herbal medicines in 2011

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This is without question the most aggregious example of the rampant global corporatist state. Big Pharma is literally trying to OUTLAW all herbal medicines, many of which have been used successfully and safely for THOUSANDS of YEARS.

The entire world needs to respond to this becasue trust me, if they got it done in Europe, America is next!

The most important thing is publicity. This needs to be challenged in court.. – Eric

(15 April 2010)– From April 2011, European legislation (EC Directive 2004/24/EC) which has already been passed in 2004 will come into force which will effectively mean that ALL Herbal medicines will disappear from the shelves in our High Streets or internet shops within the EU. Freedom of choice in medicine is being taken away. You will only have access to treatments which are Pharmaceutical Drugs based in order to treat your own and your families ailments. No Chinese herbs, No Ayurvedic (Indian) herbs, No Western herbs, NO MEDICINAL HERBS WHATSOEVER. Chinese medicine practitioners will lose access to the majority of the herbs and medicines on which they rely. Consumers will NOT be able to buy any Chinese herbal products within the EU.
This legislation has been heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, who want to protect their profit and will stand to gain by this legislation. There is not any evidence to prove that herbal medicine present a significant risk to the public under previous and present legislation, when policed properly.

“In the case of something like Chinese medicine, the safety issue is a red herring because hundreds of millions of people safely use Chinese medicine already and incredible amounts of research, safety data, usage data, and AER data is available in Asian countries if the EU officials cared to look into it. A blanket ban on products that have been safely used by billions of people for centuries seems to fly in the face of the modern vision of a harmonious, globally integrated society. “

“Getting a classical herbal medicine from a non-European traditional medicinal culture through the EU registration scheme is akin to putting a square peg into a round hole. The regulatory regime ignores and thus has not been adapted to the specific traditions. Such adaptation is required urgently if the directive is not to discriminate against non-European cultures and consequently violate human rights.”
Despite the petitions and demonstrations from herbal practitioners and consumers, as in April 2010, the UK government is showing clear intention to enforce this ban. Although there is still around 11 months away, some of our suppliers have already taken precautions to stop importing stocks in order to accommodate for this change in law and therefore, we are also reducing the stock level and stop stocking low demand products. We are expecting the shortage of supply on certain herbal products in coming months, as the UK based suppliers are calculating the risk of importing and stocking herbal products as the deadline of ban is looming.
We advise our customers to consider stocking up on any medications which you are particularly reliant on, as there is a great chance that they will no longer be available in the UK from next year.
Please raise the issue to your local MP and sign the petition here <http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-herbal-medicine.html> .

Although I'm very sceptical about the benefits of herbal medicine, I'm opposed to the ban of it outright. Although I'm not certain that it's an out-and-out ban as much as creating resrictions, although this is somewhat authoritarian, and will probably damage the herbal medicine industry, I don't think it's as bad as your source suggests. I gathered this from the Herb Society page on the subject.

Each tablet typically provides
Thiamin (B1) 2mg 143 %RDA
Riboflavin (B2) 0.5mg 31 %RDA
Niacin (B3) 5mg 28 %RDA
Magnesium 50mg 17 %RDA

ALSO PROVIDES
Passiflora (as powder) 50mg
Motherwort (as powder) 40mg
Wild Lettuce (as powder) 35mg
Scullcap (as powder) 35mg
Hops (as powder) 15mg
Valerian Extract 12.5mg
(powder equivalent) 50mg

he pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis or the "third eye") is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions.[1][2] Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and it is located near the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join.

from Lisa Cherry:

Fluoride & Pineal Gland:
Up until the 1990s, no research had ever been conducted to determine the impact of fluoride on the pineal gland - a small gland located between the two hemispheres of the brain that regulates the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the onset of puberty and helps protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals.
It is now known - thanks to the meticulous research of Dr. Jennifer Luke from the University of Surrey in England - that the pineal gland is the primary target of fluoride accumulation within the body.
The soft tissue of the adult pineal gland contains more fluoride than any other soft tissue in the body - a level of fluoride (~300 ppm) capable of inhibiting enzymes.
The pineal gland also contains hard tissue (hyroxyapatite crystals), and this hard tissue accumulates more fluoride (up to 21,000 ppm) than any other hard tissue in the body (e.g. teeth and bone).
After finding that the pineal gland is a major target for fluoride accumulation in humans, Dr. Luke conducted animal experiments to determine if the accumulated fluoride could impact the functioning of the gland - particulalry the gland's regulation of melatonin.
Luke found that animals treated with fluoride had lower levels of circulating melatonin, as reflected by reduced levels of melatonin metabolites in the animals' urine. This reduced level of circulating melatonin was accompanied - as might be expected - by an earlier onset of puberty in the fluoride-treated female animals.
Luke summarized her human and animal findings as follows:
"In conclusion, the human pineal gland contains the highest concentration of fluoride in the body. Fluoride is associated with depressed pineal melatonin synthesis by prepubertal gerbils and an accelerated onset of sexual maturation in the female gerbil. The results strengthen the hypothesis that the pineal has a role in the timing of the onset of puberty.

from Lisa Cherry:
Wood Betony Nourishes the Pineal, helps reverse Vitiligo (skin pigmentation loss)
Gotu Kola Nourishes the whole brain and glands
Alfalfa sprouts Energizes the pineal
Parsley Energizes the pineal
Wheat germ, olive oil, melons and pineapple juice They energize the pineal
Peanuts Contains L-Arginine
Lecithin found in higher quantity in the pineal than any other part of the body

AMINO ACIDS: L-Taurine, L-Ornithin, L-Arginine (take with L-Lysine) and L-Tryptophan
Essential oils are also helpful tools in stimulating and activating the Pineal Gland. Essential oils of Mugwort, Sandalwood, Lavender, Frankincense, Myrrh, Pine, Oakmoss, and Himalayan Cedar all help to stimulate the Pineal Gland. A small drop of oil rubbed directly over the Third Chakra will do the job. Inhaling the oils or burning them in a diffuser will also stimulate and activate this gland.

Herbs also help to stimulate and activate this gland. They include Chamomile, Pine Bark, Lavender bud, Wild Indigo Bark, Violet, Licorice, and Ginseng.
crystals (e.g. Amethyst, Charoite, Dumortierite, Purple Lepidolite, etc.) and clear/translucent crystals (e.g. Opal Aura Quartz, Clear Quartz, Herkimer Quartz, Selenite, etc.) greatly stimulate this charka and help to open it if it is closed.

As I understand it, this is not a "ban" but an increase in licensing requirements for importers/sellers of herbal remedies. The problem is that the cost of such licensing may be beyond many small retailers, preventing them from using many remedies. Larger companies will be able to afford such licensing, but are less likely to bulk purchase more esoteric remedies. So you will still be able to buy all the "big name" herbs that everyone has heard of, but probably not from small herbalists.

So, the ridiculous part of this edict is NOT "banning herbs" at all, and claiming it is is obfuscating the issue, which is that becoming licensed costs far too much for what it is. And of course, where does that money go? Into the EU money pit. Wouldn't surprise me if many EU ministers have close links with big pharma, or happen to have medicine cabinets well stocked with "gratuities" and "free gifts" and "just take that home for your wife eh?".

THAT is the problem. The EU is bent, expensive, and utterly pointless.

I hope you are right my man. I'd hate to see loads of people and future generations denied the chance to allow them to use herbal medicines if they want to.

You're right about the links with pharma and politicians. Check America for example. pharma companies and the company in control of most of America's food, 'Monsanto have very very close ties with politicians. Recently a law was passed meaning that cooporations can now "sponsor" political campaigns with unlimited funds. Although that is just making what already happened legal. There is no hope for the voice of good and reason being heard against the voice of greed and profit now.

will now that that law passed in the my Country..... time to firebomb the corp offices of Monsanto and the like.

Monsanto. There is no stopping!! !! !! !! It's so ridiculous that if a Monanto seed makes its way onto an honest farmers farm that he can be prosecuted for it. A law only passed because of Corporate influence. Have you watched the film the world according to Monanto? It's available on youtube. One part of it mentions how many people at Monsanto have moved between offices in Montanto and government offices including the FDA several times.

As for the pharma industry. It was in the news a few days ago that medical students at Harvard held some kind of protest because they are unhappy with the way the pharma industry is trying to control everything.

The same law is coming to America and worse.

They are trying to pass a "clean food" law that would make you a "food producer" if you had an apple tree in your back yard.
No more selling the apples or even giving them away to your friends.

As for baking a cake for the church bake sale, forgetaboutit!

That would make you a food producer and subject to all the laws of a bakery.

Did you read where the Cops in America shut down a little girl for having a lemonade stand outside her house?
They told her she needed a $300 vendor's license.

As I understand it, this is not a "ban" but an increase in licensing requirements for importers/sellers of herbal remedies.

Yeah to me they have to be behind it. Corporations have such strong political influences and have a nasty habit of trying to control any industry possible.

Are you in Aberdeen in Scotland? That is where I am from and where I am right now