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@... .

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@...

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/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm .

http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legdetails.asp?Name=309 Gerald Ortiz y Pino

Capitol Office Phone: 505-986-4380 jortizyp@...

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@...

The prevention of seasonal influenza -- policy versus evidence

From an article by Tom Jefferson, Coordinator Cochrane Vaccines Field (e-mail:
jefferson.tom@... ) 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@...


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@...
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@...
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/sis/search/f?./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@...
Aspartame Toxicity Information Center Mark D. Gold
12 East Side Drive #2-18 Concord, NH 03301 603-225-2100

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/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/scf2002-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@...
Community Health and Family Medicine, U. Florida, Gainesville, FL
Shands Hospital West Oak Clinic Gainesville, FL 32608-3629
352-376-5071
*******************************************************