Sunday, August 3, 2008

Only The Fools Dye (Their) Young: UK Considers Banning Food Colorants As ADHD Cause : TreeHugger

Only The Fools Dye (Their) Young: UK Considers Banning Food Colorants As ADHD Cause : TreeHugger: "Europe Manages Risk: USA Pretends It Doesn't Exist.
There's a pattern here. European Union nations phase out the more hazardous of the pthalate plasticizers: USA lobbies against it and resists it in the US. Europe tests animals for Mad Cow disease: USA makes it illegal to test them. Europe takes climate action: USA resists. There are plenty more where these come from. You get the idea: when it comes to protecting children from dye marketed mainly to children, Europe leads.

Now, synthetic dyes are getting a second run. New research indicates the chemicals can disrupt some children's behavior, and activists and consumer groups are asking for bans or limits on the dyes. A prestigious British medical journal recommended that doctors use dye-free diets as a first-line treatment for some behavior disorders; British regulators are pressuring companies to stop using the dyes, and some are complying.

The issue has generated much less attention on this side of the Atlantic. The FDA says the dyes are safe, and has no plans to limit their use.

We know FDA won't act. Administratively Disordered Hypoactive Dysfunction (ADHD) has taken over.

Sounds like a foolish wish, but maybe Wal-Mart will take the lead. These days corporate mavericks can show more common sense"

No comments: