"health warnings" news and stories

The warnings abour high levels of mercury in fish such as tuna have been hitting the foodie airwaves for a few months now, even affecting sushi consumption in local restaurants. However, the warning about mercury levels won't appear on canned tuna after Judge Robert L. Dondero of the San Francisco Superior Court ruled in favor of the tuna canners -  mercury levels are not high enough to to require printed health warnings on the product. Furthermore, tuna is exempt from such health warnings because mercury is naturally occurring in fish.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer and Deputy State Attorney General Susan Fiering say that the ruling is dangerous because poorer women who don't know about the FDA Advisory warning about mercury and who do not have access to information via the Internet will not be aware of the mercury danger.

The tuna companies, however, believe that the ruling favors consumers because such a warning might scare consumers away from a "healthy, economical food."

Health warnings advocating safe drinking could soon be compulsory on all alcoholic drinks. The UK government is planning the introduction of warnings similar to those found on cigarettes.

The 'trade', obviously, wants to promote safe drinking and is described as being 'receptive' to the idea.  Currently around 80% of beer packs carry a drink sensibly message but the warnings to be introduced could go further and include individual health consequences warnings, alcohol levels, and recommended intake limits.

 

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