|
|
If
people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a
state as are the souls who live under tyranny." Thomas Jefferson
California's Health Freedom Bill Passed!
If any of you are into the healing arts scene, the news
that California passed its Health Freedom bill, #SBR577, should come as a very welcome relief. Gov. Davis signed the bill
into law in September, 2002 -- it will go into effect on January 1, 2003. This is really big news for massage therapists,
acupuncturists, herbalists and all other natural healers.This opens the door for more mainstream acceptance of alternative
healing arts & medicine. The provisions listed in the bill protect the consumer & healer. Disclosure is the key here.
It was a long and tedious journey for all those hard-working
people who put their money and reputations on the line to get this bill passed. Put your hands in the air and yell, "Hoorah!"
Herbal Healer Academy Lawsuit
The Herbal Healer Academy, a teaching facility in Arkansas,
was recently served a subpoena accusing them of defrauding their students. In essence, the lawsuit, filed by the State of
Arkansas Attorney General, states that Mariah McCain, ND (that's Naturopathic Doctor), set out to defraud students of her
correspondence courses by leading them to believe that at the completion of the courses set forth, the students would be 'Naturopathic
Physicians'. First of all, the AG of AR's terminology is way off -- to become a naturopathic physician, one must first be
a physician, an MD or a DDS or some other 'doctorate', before they are considered for testing by the governing board
-- not to mention the fact they actually have to study naturopathy. What Dr. McCain offers are courses for students to obtain
qualification for testing to become a naturopath. For the sake of clarity, let it be known that physicians (naturopathic or
otherwise) are allowed by law to cut, burn and prescribe drugs. Naturopaths heal by the use of herbs, massage, accupressure,
accupuncture, meditation and other non-invasive healing techniques. If you are a board certified naturopath, you have the
right to call yourself 'doctor'. You have the right in most states to use the letters 'ND' at the end of your name. You also
have a responsibility to your clients to let them know that you aren't a medical physician, but a healer. It's all about
disclosure and who's telling who what. Dr. McCain did receive some good news, though. She learned from an insider that
the State of AR has never in its history received such an outpouring of support for anyone against whom they had
filed a lawsuit. This means Dr. McCain may well be on her way to winning this baseless suit. Remember what Nietzsche said, 'That
which does not kill me makes me stronger," (or something like that).
Updated information regarding the lawsuit ~ as of May 2003,
the Attorney General of Arkansas has settled its case with Herbal Healer Academy with provisions ~ for more information, go
to:
www.herbalhealer.com
|
|
|
