banning aspartame, a common sense precaution, NM State Senator Jerry
Ortiz y Pino, Sun Monthly 2007 Jan.: Murray 2007.01.10
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1399 http://www.eldoradosun.com/Pino.htm
Sun Monthly -- Personal Practical Global
Jerry Ortiz y Pino, New Mexico State Senate, District 12
Banning Aspartame: A Common Sense Precaution January 2007
When many of my constituents hear that I plan to introduce a bill to
ban the artificial sweetener aspartame in the upcoming legislative
session, I get a lot of very strange looks. Or worse.
The American Diabetes Foundation, for example, considers aspartame
almost sacramental for persons with the disease they battle, one that
makes consumption of sugar very dangerous. To hear their lobbyists tell
it, aspartame is the modern scientific equivalent of Lourdes water for
diabetics: "If you take away my soft drinks with aspartame, what am I
supposed to drink, then, huh? " (On each occasion that sentiment is
expressed to me, I have to bite my tongue not to gently, but
sarcastically, suggest cold water, unsugared ice tea or skim milk -
all perfectly drinkable alternatives, but not acceptable solutions for
carbonation-crazed Coke or Pepsi devotees.)
Aspartame is currently used in over 6,000 processed foods in this
country, practically everything that passes itself off as a "lite"
or "nonfat" food or drink. Banning it, I am scolded, will create a
massive economic depression, leading to factory closures, layoffs of
thousands of workers, bank failures and rioting in the streets. Even
the Coca-Cola corporation, which looks at a casual glance like a fairly
prosperous company -- even an incredibly profitable one, I would think
-- will be, I am assured, destroyed by such a ban -- a very heavy
burden to lay on my shoulders.
Meanwhile, dozens of corporate lobbyists (the world's second-oldest
profession) are praying that I introduce the measure again, as it would
occasion a windfall profit of extravagant expenditures for their
services when every soda pop manufacturer in the country rushes to hire
clever mouthpieces to protect their interests from our attack. It is a
veritable full-employment-for-lobbyists initiative.
To be candid, the chances of our efforts succeeding in the face of the
phalanx of three-piece suits and slick leather briefcases that will be
arrayed against our tiny cadre of concerned health advocates is
extremely slim. Still, it is absolutely worth doing, I am convinced, if
it furthers the awareness-expanding process and builds on the excellent
work that is being done by the aspartame whistle-blowers -- like Santa
Feans Stephen Fox and Dr. Kenneth Stoller, and the remarkable Dr. Betty
Martini from Atlanta -- whose tireless advocacy is slowly turning the
tide of public opinion against this absolutely worthless and extremely
dangerous substance. It is even worth risking the destruction of the
Coca-Cola empire, apparently much more fragile than any of us ever
imagined.
For those wishing to become more familiar with the aspartame menace, a
good starting point would be the two hour-long documentary films
(available as DVDs) produced by Cori Brackett: Sweet Misery and Sweet
Remedy, available through Sound and Fury Productions at
www.soundandfury.tv . What you see in these two films is a frightening
case study of how corporate greed can completely overwhelm the supposed
protections of our governmental watchdogs, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the
state and federal departments of Health.
It is worth taking a moment here to review the history of how a true
poison like this might be passed on to us as "food" over the
protests of the scientists who tried to say "No!" but who were, and
who continue to be, subverted by corporate money spent to influence
politicians. And it may be instructional to consider as well how this
same process of erosion in public protections could actually be going
on with ever-growing sophistication and success in many other public
health areas of concern, such as mad cow disease and E. coli outbreaks
at meatpacking plants.
Coca-Cola has changed 180 degrees from its position on aspartame in
1980. At that time it testified in opposition to aspartame 's
approval at FDA hearings looking into the safety of it. Now they help
finance its defense. Of course, the FDA itself has flipped. Its initial
denial was reversed a few years later in 1983, when Donald Rumsfeld
(ring a bell?) persuaded the Reagan administration that denial was not
bad chemistry but bad politics. At that time Rumsfeld headed Searle,
the pharmaceutical firm that helped develop aspartame.
When concerns over the product's safety seemed likely to produce
lawsuits, Searle sold the manufacturing rights to Monsanto, which in
turn peddled them to its current primary producer, the Japanese
chemical giant Ajinimoto. That outfit has made billions on the
production of this artificial sweetener, a significant percentage of
which has gone into shoring up the political fortunes of the
company's reputation with American congressional figures.
Brilliantly too, the company has consistently made the American
Diabetes Foundation one of the chief beneficiaries of its charitable
giving -- largesse that has created vast gratitude and easy acceptance
of whatever "scientific" rationales the company chooses to feed the
diabetes advocacy community.
Many more studies of the medical effects of aspartame consumption have
been undertaken with financing from the industry than by independent
researchers. Their findings that the formaldehyde-laced artificial
sweetener is perfectly safe are, therefore, of questionable
objectivity.
Last year, however, a truly independent assessment was published by an
Italian academic researcher, Dr. Morando Soffritti. His findings
substantiate the links between aspartame and cancer, calling it a
"neurotoxin" with serious other health consequences and concluding
it has major negative impacts on those who ingest it. Soffitti 's
study has been repeatedly attacked by industry spokespeople and their
paid researchers, but its conclusions stand substantially intact. In
Europe and in India, its impact is already producing governmental
action to restrict or remove aspartame.
Efforts to act similarly in this country have been solely at state
levels so far, though the recent congressional changes may open the
door to much more active oversight by the Feds than was possible under
the previous leadership. Nevertheless, I would like to proceed with our
state initiative. It will, win or lose, further the effort to draw
attention to the serious medical dangers that aspartame represents. It
would serve as a precaution and could save lives.
Let Your voice be heard
All members of the New Mexico Legislature are listed with their contact
information on the Legislature website: legis.state.nm.us/. The
telephone number for the Legislature is 505-986-4300.
If you, a friend or a family member is the victim of aspartame or
Splenda poisoning, your phoning and writing to the Attorney General's
Office to encourage punitive and exemplary damage suits will be
helpful, particularly:
· Attorney General Gary King, 505-827-6000, in the Paul Bardacke
Attorney General Complex
· Deputy Attorney General Stuart Bluestone, 505-827-6004
Readers can also make their views known directly to Dr. Andrew C. Von
Eschenbach, Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug
Administration:
commissioner@FDA.gov .
In order to obtain United States Senate hearings in the Health and
Judiciary committees on the forced approval for aspartame in 1981 (see
September 2005 Sun Monthly article "Rumsfeld's Disease: A Politically
Induced Biochemical Disaster of Global Proportions "), please write a
letter via regular mail to:
· Senator Edward Kennedy, Chairman, U.S. Senate Health Committee
· Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee,
United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510. Or e-mail them at
http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm and
senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
All members of the U.S. Senate Health and Judiciary committees should
learn of your concerns as well. Their e-mail addresses are listed at
http://www.senate.gov/general/contac...nators_cfm.cfm .
http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legdetails.asp?Name=309 Gerald Ortiz y
Pino
Capitol Office Phone: 505-986-4380
jortizyp@aol.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1393
who to write for aspartame ban in New Mexico: check info on back cover
of 2007 Santa Fe Visitor Guide: Fox: Murray 2006.12.28
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1391
FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach response to NM state senator
Gerald Ortiz y Pino and 11 legislators re aspartame toxicity: Murray
2006.12.27
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1380
NM State Senator Gerald Gerald Ortiz y Pino writes US Senator Jeff
Bingaman to ban aspartame (source of methanol, formaldehyde): Fox:
Murray 2006.10.31
http://www.eldoradosun.com/Letters.htm
Letters to the Editor:
Plea to ban mercury
Dear Governor Richardson:
As you may recall, you met with me in December 2005 to discuss having
legislation limiting the exposure to organic mercury in the influenza
vaccine, specifically for children and pregnant women. The HB271 died
and was never voted on because the Department of Health and the Medical
Society felt they could achieve the aims of the bill through a
statement of intention, a community health policy, and so the bill was
never allowed to come to a vote.
On October 28, 2006, the British Medical Journal published an
independent analysis by the renowned Cochrane Collaboration of
worldwide influenza vaccine studies, and they concluded that there is
no scientific proof that the flu vaccine is safe and effective for
either children or adults. In other words, it doesn't work -- there is
no benefit -- and this is a public health scam given that 90 percent of
flu vaccine has organic mercury in it -- all risk and no benefit. With
such a big gap between policies promoting annual flu vaccine and the
supporting scientific evidence, mercury has no place in these vaccines
at the very least.
Last year you told me the FDA does nothing at all and that states need
to take their power back in this arena. You share Deidra Imus'
feelings on this matter, and now we can also say that the vaccine
division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has become
an arm of vaccine/pharma industry.
The pharma companies are manipulating the supply of mercury-free flu
vaccine so that it is only marginally available after promising there
would be plenty. Numerous states that have laws against using flu
vaccine that has mercury have asked for exemptions because of this
manipulation breaking the back of these mercury-restrictive laws. Why?
Pharma does not want the expense of changing their infrastructure to
manufacture 100 percent mercury-free vaccine.
I have drafted new legislation that says there shall be no
mercury-preserved flu vaccine given to children and pregnant woman, and
the only exemption is if there is a public health emergency and the
vaccine has greater than 90 percent efficacy. The current vaccine has
about a 10 percent efficacy.
Please consider meeting with me again to discuss this potential bill so
that it can be introduced with a conscious understanding of the issues
involved and what will hopefully be your support.
-- K. Paul Stoller, MD, FAAP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1339
Obfuscation of the iatrogenic autism epidemic re mercury in kid
vaccines, Kenneth P. Stoller, Pediatrics 2006.05.06; aspartame toxicity
2005.11.10: Comet assay can test genotoxicity, EFSA admits ignorance re
methanol residues, Murray 2006.05.10
http://www.cochrane.org/consumers/happenings.htm ccnet-contact@cochrane.de
The prevention of seasonal influenza -- policy versus evidence
>From an article by Tom Jefferson, Coordinator Cochrane Vaccines Field
(e-mail:
jefferson.tom@gmail.com ) in the BMJ 2006 (28 October); 333:
912-5
The ability of inactivated influenza vaccines to significantly reduce
morbidity and mortality in a year from 'the flu' is unknown and
data confirming influenza vaccine safety are limited, according to a
new report in the British Medical Journal. A comprehensive analysis of
influenza vaccine studies conducted around the world and published in
the medical literature revealed that there is not enough scientific
evidence to support annual influenza vaccination of all children,
adults and the elderly. This is according to Tom Jefferson, MD, who
coordinated the analysis for the Cochrane Collaboration.
"There is a big gap between policies promoting annual influenza
vaccinations for most children and adults and supporting scientific
evidence" said Jefferson, "..given the significant resources involved
in annual mass influenza vaccination campaigns, there is urgent need
for re-evaluation of these strategies".
The new report entitled, "the prevention of seasonal influenza --
policy versus evidence" examines the complex characteristics of
seasonal influenza viruses (as opposed to pandemic viruses), which
change their antigenic configuration from year to year as well as vary
in prevalence -- and so on their sensitivity to a vaccine. The report
points out that influenza vaccine "performance" depends in part on the
closeness of the match between forecasted circulating influenza viruses
and the actual viruses selected for that influenza season's vaccine to
act against. When the influenza viruses chosen for the vaccine closely
resemble the circulating viruses in a given year, the vaccine is more
protective. Another very important component is the amount of influenza
circulating: the higher the circulation the higher the effectiveness of
the vaccines. Unfortunately no one can predict this and the amount of
"flu-like illness" circulating is no predictor as it is different from
real influenza.
According to the report, a major problem with evaluating influenza
vaccine performance is potential confusion between respiratory
infections caused by influenza viruses and those caused by other
viruses (the 'flu'). Misdiagnosis of influenza in patients with
respiratory infections caused by other viruses can lead to a gross
overestimation of the true impact of influenza on death and illness
from respiratory infections in a given influenza season.
"The best way to judge how well influenza vaccines (made using
inactivated viruses) perform is to sum up all data from known studies
into systematic reviews" said Jefferson "systematic reviews of large
datasets from several decades are likely to provide more reliable
information on the performance of influenza vaccine performance over
time". And on how appropriate the available vaccine is.
The newly published report assesses the evidence from systematic
reviews, mainly Cochrane reviews, and concludes that existing
scientific evidence for influenza vaccine safety and efficacy relies on
research that is methodologically flawed with selection bias,
confounders and heavy reliance on non-randomized studies. Too few
clinical trials have been carried out, especially in the elderly. In
addition, past studies have not addressed vaccine safety adequately
while indicating that use of inactivated influenza vaccine has only a
modest or no effect on preventing influenza in children and the
elderly.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/bmj.38973.444699.0Bv1
many vigorous responses to
Cochrane reviews compared with industry supported meta-analyses and
other meta-analyses of the same drugs: systematic review
BMJ 2006 Oct.: 332: 782-6.
Anders W Jørgensen 1, Jørgen Hilden 2, and Peter C Gøtzsche 1*
1 Nordic Cochrane Centre, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø,
Denmark
2 Department of Biostatistics, Panum Institute, University of
Copenhagen, Denmark
* Correspondence to:
pcg@cochrane.dk http://www.eldoradosun.com/index.html
Permanent Press, Inc.
October 2003 7500 free issues distributed, 12,000 readers
505-466-4661 fax 505-466-4662
permpress@aol.com
Gershon Siegel, General Editor
11 Bonita Court, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508
************************************************** *****
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1379
short aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity research summary:
Murray 2007.01.10
"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority,
to actively find, quickly share, and positively act upon the facts
about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."
Rich Murray, MA Room For All
rmforall@comcast.net
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 76 members, 1,399 posts in a public, searchable archive
http://RMForAll.blogspot.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books: updated research review of 2004.07.16:
Murray 2006.05.11
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1398
Indonesia National Agency for Drug and Food Control BPOM considers
aspartame ban, The Jakarta Post, [no ban in Japan]: Murray 2007.01.09
Aspartame Controversy, in Wikipedia democratic encyclopedia, 72
references (including AspartameNM # 864 and 1173 by Murray), brief
fair summary of much more research: Murray 2007.01.01
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1395
Coca-Cola carcinogenicity in rats, Ramazzini Foundation, F Belpoggi, M
Soffritti, Annals NY Academy Sciences 2006 Sept, parts of 17 pages:
Murray 2006.12.02
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1385
Fiorella Belpoggi & Morando Soffritti of Ramazzini Foundation prove
lifetime carcinogenicity of Coca-Cola, aspartame, and arsenic, Annals
of the NY Academy of Sciences: Murray 2006.11.28
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1382 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1383 aspartame
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1384 arsenic
soft drinks and adolescent hyperactivity, mental distress, conduct
problems, Lars Lien, Nanna Lien, Sonja Heyerdahl, Mayne Thoresen, Espen
Bjertness 2006 Oct., A J Pub Health: Murray 2006.10.21
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1376 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1375
healthy diet, vitamins, and fish oil help reduce depression and
violence, studies by Joseph Hibbeln, Bernard Gesch, and Stephen
Schoenthaler, articles by Felicity Lawrence in UK Guardian Unlimited
and Pat Thomas in The Ecologist: Murray 2006.10.21
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1378
11 members of New Mexico legislature sign letter to ban aspartame as a
source of toxic methanol and formaldehyde, Stephen Fox, NM Senator
Gerald Ortiz y Pino: Murray 2006.10.22
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1374
47 UK Members of Parliament now support aspartame ban initiative of
Roger Williams, MP: Murray 2006.10.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1366
toxicity in rat brains from aspartame, Vences-Mejia A, Espinosa-Aguirre
JJ et al 2006 Aug: Murray 2006.09.06
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1373
aspartame rat brain toxicity re cytochrome P450 enzymes, expecially
CYP2E1, Vences-Mejia A, Espinosa-Aguirre JJ et al, 2006 Aug,
Hum Exp Toxicol: relevant abstracts re formaldehyde from methanol
in alcohol drinks: Murray 2006.09.29
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1271
combining aspartame and quinoline yellow, or MSG and brilliant blue,
harms nerve cells, eminent C. Vyvyan Howard et al, 2005
education.guardian.co.uk, Felicity Lawrence: Murray 2005.12.21
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1277
50% UK baby food is now organic -- aspartame or MSG
with food dyes harm nerve cells, CV Howard 3 year study
funded by Lizzy Vann, CEO, Organix Brands,
Children's Food Advisory Service: Murray 2006.01.13
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1279
all three aspartame metabolites harm human erythrocyte [red blood cell]
membrane enzyme activity, KH Schulpis et al, two studies in 2005,
Athens, Greece, 2005.12.14: 2004 research review, RL Blaylock:
Murray 2006.01.14
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1369
Bristol, Connecticut, schools join state program to limit artificial
sweeteners, sugar, fats for 8800 students, Johnny J Burnham, The
Bristol Press: Murray 2006.09.22
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341
Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools, Nancy Barnes,
New Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1353
carcinogenic effect of inhaled formaldehyde, Federal Institute of Risk
Assessment, Germany -- same safe level as for Canada:
Murray 2006.06.02
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1352
Home sickness -- indoor air often worse, as our homes seal in
pollutants
[one is formaldehyde, also from the 11% methanol part of aspartame],
Megan Gillis, WinnipegSun.com: Murray 2006.06.01
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1349
NIH NLM ToxNet HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank
inadequate re aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid):
Murray 2006.08.19
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/si...temp/~HwoSfJ:1
HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank: Aspartame
ASPARTAME CASRN: 22839-47-0
METHANOL CASRN: 67-56-1
FORMALDEHYDE CASRN: 50-00-0
FORMIC ACID CASRN: 64-18-6
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1052
DMDC: Dimethyl dicarbonate 200mg/L in drinks adds methanol 98 mg/L
( becomes formaldehyde in body ): EU Scientific Committee on Foods
2001.07.12: Murray 2004.01.22
http://www.HolisticMed.com/aspartame mgold@holisticmed.com
Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold
12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame.../methanol.html
"Scientific Abuse in Aspartame Research"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/957
safety of aspartame Part 1/2 12.4.2: EC HCPD-G SCF:
Murray 2003.01.12 rmforall EU Scientific Committee on Food,
a whitewash
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1045 http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame...2-response.htm
Mark Gold exhaustively critiques European Commission Scientific
Committee on Food re aspartame ( 2002.12.04 ):
59 pages, 230 references
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1371
Russell L. Blaylock, MD discusses MSG, aspartame, excitotoxins
with Mike Adams: Murray 2006.09.27
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1372
Mike Adams interviews Randall Fitzgerald on "The Hundred Year Lie:
How Food and Medicine are Destroying Your Health" 2006.06.21:
Murray 2006.09.28
************************************************** *****
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/782
RTM: Smith, Terpening, Schmidt, Gums:
full text: aspartame, MSG, fibromyalgia 2002.01.17
Jerry D Smith, Chris M Terpening,
Siegfried OF Schmidt, and John G Gums
Relief of Fibromyalgia Symptoms Following
Discontinuation of Dietary Excitotoxins.
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2001; 35(6): 702-706.
Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
Gainesville, FL, USA.
BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatologic
disorder that is often difficult to treat effectively.
CASE SUMMARY: Four patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia
syndrome for two to 17 years are described.
All had undergone multiple treatment modalities with limited success.
All had complete, or nearly complete,
resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating
monosodium glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet.
All patients were women with multiple comorbidities
prior to elimination of MSG.
All have had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested.
Siegfried O. Schmidt, MD Asst. Clinical Prof.
siggy@shands.ufl.edu
Community Health and Family Medicine, U. Florida, Gainesville, FL
Shands Hospital West Oak Clinic Gainesville, FL 32608-3629
352-376-5071
************************************************** *****
banning aspartame, a common sense precaution, NM State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, Sun Monthly 2007 Jan.: Murray 2007.01.10 
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