Mass medication - our daily bread

[Naki Rat]

Doesn't bother me. I mean ask yourself, do you really know what is in most of todays food? I can't understand half the ingredents listed on manufactured food. Its hard to escape this sort of stuff in todays world.

You stick shit down your throat that you haven't a clue about

Look back at generations past and compare to todays. Too many people aint able to look after themselves. Obese childen is starting to become a comman sight these days. Work habbits have changed so that means a lot of people are too tired to make tea when they get home so they buy takeaways instead.....and the reasons just go on.

I honestly believe stuff like this will happen more often in the future.

Survival of the fittest, and that's definitely not those who are too lazy or stupid to feed themselves decent food

[AD345]

This is a universally BAD THING.

It is only a small percentage of women at risk in the first place (this makes a mockery of any comparison to flouride or iodine).

Preliminary studies have shown that the target demographic do not eat the required amount of bread at the moment and are likely to reduce their bread intake if this goes ahead.

The secondary effects of folic acid are poorly understood and all recent data suggests that much more detailed studies need to be done as the seeming incidence of contra indicated effects appears to be growing.

The major baking companies have lobbied against this for years and really need YOUR support to make the Govt. come to their senses.

It is BAD

[XxKiTtiExX]

What people don't realize is that if you are planning to become pregnant its best to take folic acid for 3 months prior to becoming pregnant right through to 3 months into the pregnancy for it to actually even help.

I barely eat 2 slices of bread a day, let alone being expected to eat 11 slices of bread a day for 6 months (for the correct intake). 3 months course of folic acid only costs $3.00 (when prescribed by your GP).

Don't see much point in putting folic acid into bread and literally forcing it down the throats of people who don't need it though. It should be more about educating those who may need it before they plan to/end up pregnant. (as someone else mentioned some pregnancies are unplanned).

On a side note.... Not once was folic acid (before and during pregnancy) mentioned to me by my Northland GP.

[Dave Lobster]

Wouldn't it hit the desired target better by putting folic acid in Family Buckets?

[Usarka]

Is it safe for people to keep taking vitamin b supplements like beroca and others (esp high potency ones)? Or is there an "upper limit" on folic acid intake....?

[Flatcap]

Wouldn't it hit the desired target better by putting folic acid in Family Buckets?

Nah - better to crush The Pill and include that in the seasoning

[Finn]

Wouldn't it hit the desired target better by putting folic acid in Family Buckets?

I think contraception would be better.

[Flatcap]

I think contraception would be better.

Great minds and all.....

[Mully]

Question... where does one get this folic acid free wheat/flour... stuff...?

You've got plenty of space at your place - you can grow your own wheat.

I'm actually terrified when I agree with the Greens. It doesn't happen often.

FWIW (and don't shoot the messenger) my understanding is that NZFSA is trying to get a sweetheart deal with their Aussie counterparts for Trans-Tasman food shipments. I believe this is why they feel they can't scrap it straight away.

[davereid]

It would appear that the "food safety authority" are incorrectly named. They are pushing the introduction of an additive that may be harmful !

Perhaps they should be renamed the "compulsory medication authority".

Then they can force all sorts of great drugs on us, after proper evaluation by australian experts of course.

All the standard ones like fluoride and iodine should be beyond debate. But we could add asprin to our water as it might reduce heart attack risk.

What about Disulfiram to reduce alcohol consumption, and Rimonabant to reduce our obesity and lipids ?

We could put ACC up heaps, just in case we fuck it up and it turns out that it causes cancer.

[ManDownUnder]

You've got plenty of space at your place - you can grow your own wheat.

And destroy a clear line of sight on the gun range??? NEVER!

I'm actually terrified when I agree with the Greens. It doesn't happen often.

YUP! I know that feeling. I love watching them drive to their save the whales tree hugging conferences in their Morris Minors while singing Koombaya ... belching clouds of blue smoke the whole way.

FWIW (and don't shoot the messenger) my understanding is that NZFSA is trying to get a sweetheart deal with their Aussie counterparts for Trans-Tasman food shipments. I believe this is why they feel they can't scrap it straight away.

The messenger's safe. I've got no problems protecting trans tasman trade so long as there's a way of mitigating any 'orrible effects to me and mine - hence the question...

I wouldn't be allowed to sell the bread of course... but a Koha might do the trick. Can I do that - or do I need Maori blood in me?

... and would a transfusion give me Maori heritage

[Badjelly]

I trust everyone contributing to the debate on this issue is aware that folic acid is a vitamin (meaning it's a chemical that our bodies need and can't make on their own) and that it occurs naturally in a wide range of foods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

I'm not entering the debate on either side at the moment, I just want to check that everyone's aware of the facts.

[mister.koz]

Is it safe for people to keep taking vitamin b supplements like beroca and others (esp high potency ones)? Or is there an "upper limit" on folic acid intake....?

The difference is people taking berocca are asking for it, if it was bad then people can not take it. If they mass medicate (fluoride/water, iodine/salt, folic acid/flour) then EVERYONE gets medicated whether they want to or not.

The option for avoiding iodine is easy, you buy non-iodized salt. But the others are not so easy!

Mass-medication is a bad idea even if the reason for it is good, its Nannying yes but worst of all it takes away the freedom of choice of the individual.

[Mully]

I wouldn't be allowed to sell the bread of course... but a Koha might do the trick. Can I do that - or do I need Maori blood in me?

... and would a transfusion give me Maori heritage

Well, now that you work mere metres from home, you could get a breadmaker and bake your own. You could nip home (on your coffee break) to turn the machine off.


Wikipedia is typically vague:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

"It causes cancer. No, it prevents cancer. Shit, it's one of the two" (note, not a direct quite - just paraphrasing)

[mister.koz]

I trust everyone contributing to the debate on this issue is aware that folic acid is a vitamin (meaning it's a chemical that our bodies need and can't make on their own) and that it occurs naturally in a wide range of foods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

I'm not entering the debate on either side at the moment, I just want to check that everyone's aware of the facts.

It is true but by that token they should put vitamin C, iron, magnesium citrate, and a bucket of vitamins in our water without our input, pitty about the poor sods like me who aren't deficient of everything because i eat a balanced diet.

Its the lack of choice (by all new zealanders - even government) thats the issue here.