- Aspartame Industry Looking To Block NM Hearings
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- By Jackie Jadrnak
- Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer
- 10-6-5
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- SANTA FE - Gov. Bill Richardson
doesn't think the federal government is doing enough to protect the public
from possible dangers of aspartame.
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- He said Wednesday that he supports a decision this week
by the Environmental Improvement Board to hold hearings next summer on
the safety of the sugar substitute, commonly known as Equal or NutraSweet.
It is an ingredient in about 6,000 products.
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- Asked if he is concerned aspartame may be harmful, Richardson
answered, "Yes, from what I've learned." Critics of the sweetener
have claimed it causes cancers and other health problems, despite the fact
that it has been approved as safe in countries around the world.
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- T. J. Trujillo, Santa Fe attorney for a low calorie products
industry group, said Wednesday he and his clients are still exploring whether
they have any grounds for an immediate appeal to block the hearing. In
the meantime, industry representatives will reach out to New Mexico government
officials and policy advisers, he said. "We want to figure out their
positions and work for a resolution."
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- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible
for determining the safety of food additives, approved aspartame in l981.
Richardson said he doesn't want New Mexico to overstep its bounds.
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- But "I'm not saying we can't do anything about it,"
he added. Hearings next July might give some idea of what steps New Mexico
should and could take, he said.
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- FDA spokeswoman Kimberly Rawlings said officials there
are aware of the New Mexico board's action and are keeping an eye on what
happens next.
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- __end of article
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- Note From Betty Martini -
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- People interested in banning aspartame from your state
you need to check on statutes on poisonous substances and adulteration.
I would suspect they are the same in other states and countries. You
have a precedent set. Let's get aspartame off this planet. I think its
of interest that attorneys for Calorie Control Council, the aspartame industry
front group, said they are exploring whether they have grounds for appeal
to block the hearing. Since they push this toxin as safe, they should
embrace this hearing. What are they afraid of? Perhaps the thousands
and thousands of victims who are invited to New Mexico to testify? Or maybe
because now Italian researchers who declared malignant brain tumors, lymphoma
and leukemia after a three year study have now added kidney cancer among
other cancers. They call aspartame a "multipotential carcinogen".
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- This goes along with what the FDA's own toxicologist,
the late Dr. Adrian Gross, told Congress. He said aspartame violated the
Delaney Amendment which forbid putting anything in food you know will cause
cancer because without a shadow of a doubt aspartame can cause brain tumors
and brain cancer. However, in original studies it also caused mammary,
ovarian, testicular, pancreatic and thyroid tumors, for starters!
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- As we know, the Governor of California has outlawed pop
in schools there. We hope Governor Richardson will now do the same in
New Mexico, including any product with aspartame.
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- Join the Aspartame Information List on www.wnho.net,
click on aspartame for more information and also www.dorway.com Aspartame
Toxicity Center, www.holisticmed.com/aspartame Also www.aspartamekills.com
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- Dr. Betty Martini, D.Hum.
- Founder, Mission Possible Intl
- 9270 River Club Parkway
- Duluth, Georgia 30097
- 770 242-2599
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