When will the ban come into effect to stop private herbalists?
I didn’t think they were planning on banning private herbalists; just regulating them. Which is a good thing. It keeps the quacks and snake oil out. A major problem with herbal drugs is that they do not undergo the same testing, regulation or controls as pharmaceuticals. Potencies vary and many herbs have been found to be contaminated. The information available on herbal drugs is limited; side effects, risks and long term safety are mostly unknown and they could have the potential to interact with other medications and medical conditions. Herbalists typically have little or no medical training and are not in a position to give you accurate health or drug information. I’m sure you don’t want people to be taking potentially dangerous crude drugs handed out by people who have no understanding of their client’s condition.
