Aromatherapy United: Good intentions but is the FDA really the answer? 10 years ago

I recently banned a lady on from this Facebook page for violating my "no spamming" policy and using the traffic on this site to promote another website. But after reading the site I think I must call everyone's attention to the protest site over at www.aromatherapyunited.org. While this site may have the best of intentions, unfortunately the world does not operate on intentions and at some point we have to consider the results of our actions and look ahead to the unintended consequences that can arise from "good intentions." The reason I am bringing attention to this site is because I am hoping people will weigh in their opinions and carefully consider the likely result of supporting such an effort. On this site its primary goal is stated as follows: "Our first project is to start an online petition to gather signatures, which will be presented to the FDA and the FTC in the form of a formal complaint against the companies and their distributors/salespeople – named and unnamed – who are violating the laws and risking the health of their customers and putting the future of Aromatherapy in jeopardy." Anyone who knows me knows that I have been a supporter and advocate for the aromatherapy community for many years and have contributed a lot of time and free information to those who have a passion in this area. So this is why I have decided to draw attention to the Aromatherapy United website. Not because I believe in what they are doing but because I greatly fear the unintended consequences of what they are doing.

I totally agree that irresponsible behavior of quite a few representatives of MLM and even some non-MLM companies needs to be addressed and that some of the usage methodologies they promote can be dangerous and risk government intervention into this alternative field of therapy that we have all enjoyed for many decades in this country. But I personally believe that a petition to the FDA is an even a greater risk of losing our freedoms and access to essential oils and our abilities to use them without Big Brother dictating and regulating this last bastion of our health. I mean isn't the whole point of aromatherapy to be able to use what God has given as an alternative to the massively expensive and inefficient frankenstein we have created known as the American Healthcare System? Have we not yet learned our lessons about the federal government involvement in our lives, especially in light of what is going on right now concerning Obamacare? Have we not learned that when government bureaucrats get involved with most anything that we usually end up being sorry in the end? Does anyone remember the famous promise "Anyone who is happy with their current insurance plan can keep it" and do they really believe it now that the "Affordable Healthcare Act" is coming to fruition? I know of several people who are being forced onto other, more expensive plans because of the enforcement of this law. If you haven't seen your plan change yet, just wait, you will and you are almost certain be paying more. For example, I know an elderly couple whose premiums have skyrocketed and their deductibles doubled because they are now being required to cover conditions, like maternity, that they will never need!! This will be happening to all of us because of the forced mandates that this law is implementing on the insurance industry in the name of "fairness." But I think we are all finding out that the "Affordable Healthcare Act" will be anything but fair and its definitely not going to be AFFORDABLE, at least not to people who where paying their own way to begin with. Not only this but the federal government is so incompetent that they cannot even get the websites for enrollment up and running so if you don't have insurance and you cannot get enrolled because morons can't implement a functioning website well, guess what, your going to be paying a fine! Thank you federal government, you always make our lives so much easier!!

In summary, do we really want this kind of incompetence and bureaucracy getting involved with aromatherapy? I think the people behind the Aromatherapy United site have just not thought this through. Aromatherapy is an ALTERNATIVE to the system. Why do we want the very SYSTEM that its an alternative to to be involved with regulating it? I just don't understand the logic here, a petition to the Federal Government, REALLY? We need to stop being sheep looking to the government to be our nanny and start taking care of ourselves and use other means to convince those who are doing dangerous things to stop what they are doing. We do this through education and logical persuasion, not through government coercion. Will we ever be able to stop EVERYONE from doing unsafe practices? Of course not, no more than we can stop people from bungee jumping, sky diving or any other dangerous behavior. I my humble opinion, involving the FDA here would be the WORST possible thing that could happen. You think oils are expensive now, just wait until you get the FDA involved in regulating ALL sales of essential oils in addition to having to deal with all the ridiculous regulations that Europe is now dealing with. People, lets just think a little bit before we act can we? It's time to wake up. Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it. Why do we keep doing the same things over and over again, expecting a different outcome? So again, while intentions may be perfectly honorable, we have to look at the unintended consequences. Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it!!