Call in Support of Acupuncture Bill S1311

Good News!!! Our acupuncture bill - S1311 - is on the agenda for a vote for the Senate Commerce Committee for Thursday, December 11th.

We would like some calls made to the committee members, but NOT a blitz of phone calls. Therefore, DO NOT have everyone you know make a call. JUST you.

You will most likely be speaking to a legislative aide when you call and not one of the senators. Please be brief and courteous and thank the senator for his past support and request the senator support our bill, S1311 again on Thursday, Dec. 11th. All but one senator voted in our favor the last time our bill came up for a vote.

Only one senator is new to this committee since our bill was last up for a vote and that senator is Senator Scutari. In his case, you should just ask for his support

The phone numbers are as follows:

Senator Raymond Lesniak - 908-624-0880

Senator Gerald Cardinale - 201-567-2324

Senator Bob Singer - 732-901-0702

Senator Nicholas Scutari - 908-587-0404

NJ Vaccine 'Choice'

Please read:

Call-in ALERT !!

We are quickly approaching the Jan.1 deadline for NJ’s mandated flu shot
We just don’t know how many kids will be excluded from daycare & pre-school if they don’t have their flu shot as of January 1, 2009. We have never needed Vaccination Choice in NJ more… act now
And let your voice be heard! Apparently 10,000+ signatures on our petition are not getting the attention of NJ lawmakers.

Make just 5 phone calls (and email to everyone you know, to do the same) if you value VACCINATION CHOICE
Call-in will be on Mon. Dec. 1- Wed. Dec. 3 (and beyond).

Who to call:
(1) Governor Jon Corzine: (609) 292- 6000

(2) Heather Howard (NJ Health Commissioner): (609) 292-7837, or try her email: heather.howard@doh.state.nj.us or fax: (609) 984-5474

(3) Your 3 NJ Legislators: To find your district and your 3 state legislators, go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp

and then check here to see if they are one of 35 sponsors already http://njvaccinationchoice.org
- it’s important to thank those already signed on, and encourage them to actively work to push it forward.
- If they are NOT on board- ask them urgently to co-sponsor NJ legislative bill A260/S1071, the Conscientious Exemption to Mandatory Immunization.

Message:
As the Jan. 1 mandatory flu shot deadline is upon us, it is URGENT that they support and pass
Assembly Bill A260 (on the Senate side it's known as S1071) as soon as possible. If time permits, share your own reasons why you want vaccination choice.

The coalition would also like to hear your stories of how the current system of religious and medical exemptions in NJ are working for your family. Please email them directly to: Sue at NJAICV@aol.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you want to go further:

(1) Call other key legislators that can move this forward:

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (856) 742-7600 – leader of NJ Assembly
Senate Pres. Richard Codey (973) 731-6770 – leader of NJ Senate, sometime NJ Governor
Senator Joseph Vitale (732) 855-7441 – Chair, Senate Health Committee
Senator Loretta Weinberg (201) 928-0100 – Vice-Chair, Senate Health Committee

(2) Refer to the Coalition’s Top Ten Reasons NJ needs this legislation, for talking points

(3) Visit the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice (NJCVC) at http://njvaccinationchoice.org
Our web page has:
- updates on CVC efforts (click here for a Status Report)
- coming shortly - FAQ’s about the new mandates
- how you can help support & join this fight
- timely news & info on our Blog
- informative video clips
- Details/pictures of our Oct. 2008 Rally in Trenton
- useful links for doing more research yourself
- and more…

Petition to make raw milk legal in NJ

Please got to this site and sign.
Thanks,
Ross

Call for Letters: Raw Milk

In May, there will be a hearing on the legalization of raw milk in NJ. Long overdue. If those interested could send a letter in favor of legal raw milk it would go a long way. Please mail 4 copies of the letters to:

Judith Mudrak
58 Cranberry Run
Southampton, NJ 08088

Here is a sample letter that can be adapted by anyone:

Re: Legalize Raw Milk

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is intended to express my deep concern and belief in a very important area of health and nutrition, namely the dairy industry and the availability of raw milk.

The health benefits of raw milk far out weigh that of pasteurized milk and an increasing number of studies are confirming this fact, a fact that has been well-known since the inception of pasteurization. An historical look at pasteurization reveals that the purpose of this technique was to aid the dairy industry and small farmers in their ability to make milk accessible to the general public. Pasteurization was intended to be a short-term solution until the technology was available to allow raw milk to be sold inter-state.

However, like most things, money seems to be a determining factor in decision-making. Once the industry realized how much money was to be made by selling pasteurized milk, another alternative was never pursued. The ability of big business dairy farmers to have milk sit in vats for days on end putrifying with harmful bacteria only to be pasteurized and allowed to be sold wound up being the norm. But the time has now come to allow the individual to decide the kind of food/milk/dairy it would like to consume rather than big business or governmental agencies.

Pasteurized milk due to the loss of enzymes and probiotics cause diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas, gastrointestinal bleeding, iron deficiency anemia, skin rashes, colic in infants, osteoporosis, increased tooth decay, arthritis and a host of other serious and chronic ailments. In fact, many prominent doctors believe that pasteurized dairy is a key factor in the formation of many cancers.

More and more studies are showing that raw milk is by far healthier than pasteurized/homogenized and that any health risks are far outweighed by the health benefits. The Mayo Clinic has undertaken a RAW MILK CURE to treat diseases. It has been used throughout the ages to treat an endless variety of illnesses. And until the big milk companies became involved, raw milk was widely accepted as a healthy, affordable food available to rich and poor.

By studying the history of pasteurizing milk, one comes to understand how big business has put money in to the pockets of legislators who will support their interests, not the interests and health of the citizens they represent. Please do not prove yourself to be one of these legislators.

Let’s put our focus toward maintaining healthy cows, producing healthy raw milk, who are allowed to graze on pasture – not on subsidizing big farms that own cows who can barely stand, never see grass, and are in pain due to all the hormones and antibiotics that are being pumped in to them – and by those very companies who want to suppress any facts which support the health benefits of raw milk.

Please help to expand our rights to buy raw milk. The health of all of our families, and countless others, depends on it.

Sincerely

Stop Deceptive Labeling of "Naturally Raised" Meats

I came across this news item from the Organic Consumers Association.
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Alert: Stop Deceptive Labeling of "Naturally Raised" Meats
Consumer polls indicate the average person imagines meat labeled "Naturally Raised" comes from animals that spent their drug-free lives freely roaming the fields of a family farmer, eating wild flora and fauna, and being (at least somewhat) humanely slaughtered. In fact a 2007 Consumer Reports survey shows 83% of consumers assume such labeling means “it came from an animal raised in a natural environment.” In stark contrast, the USDA, under pressure from big agribusiness, has released a standard for "Naturally Raised" meats that is so weak it would apply to a cloned animal raised in the confines of a factory farm. The public comment period on this labeling standard only lasts until January 28, so take action now before this type of labeling becomes as ubiquitous as corporate lobbyists on Capitol Hill.
Learn more and take action:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/oca/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=22287

Tell EPA to Ban Toxic Pesticide Endosulfan

I cam across this alert from the Organic Consumers Association:

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2/8/2008

EPA WANTS YOU TO DECIDE -- SHOULD TOXIC PESTICIDE BE BANNED?
The EPA has opened a public comment period on whether a toxic pesticide used on food and cotton in the U.S. but banned in much of the world, should be taken off the market. The pesticide, endosulfan harms the hormone system, and low levels of exposure in the womb have been linked to autism, male reproductive harm and other birth defects. The Organic Consumers Association is joining with Pesticide Action Network and other allies in gathering tens of thousands of petition signatures to ban this toxic pesticide off the market now. Learn more and take action:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10124.cfm

Call to Action: OPPOSE Chiropractic Acupuncture Bill

I urge all supporters of acupuncture and Chinese medicine to please take 5 minutes out of your day to call and email the following two assembly persons regarding this bill. Please leave a message with their office OPPOSING this bill. In addition, please send an email (you can use the text below, just cut and paste it). This is urgent. Chiropractors are trying to pass a bill that would allow them to practice acupuncture without going to acupuncture medical school. Their training would consist of a couple hundred hours (a weekend course and home study). Acupuncturists spend 4 years in school and over 3,000 hours studying acupuncture. Should this bill pass, the quality of care will be dangerously low and the risk to public safety dangerously high.

Assemblyman Joseph Roberts: asmroberts@njleg.org: 856-742-7600
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman: aswWatsonColeman@njleg.org: 609-292-0500

Hi. My name is __________ and I am requesting that Assemblyman Joseph Roberts and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman OPPOSE Assembly Bill 3122, the Chiropractic Scope of Practice Bill. This bill allows chiropractors to practice acupuncture (an entire system of Chinese medicine) with abbreviated (barely any) training and presents a significantly increased risk to public safety. Unless all references to acupuncture are removed from the bill, I am OPPOSED to A3122. This is a significant public safety issue and I urge an opposition to this bill.

Thank you very much for considering my position on this issue.

Acupuncture Politics

Politics and powerful lobbyists have infiltrated the profession of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Today marks a significant decline in the profession as chiropractors have finally managed to influence the New Jersey State legislature by passing through the assembly committee a bill that would allow them to practice acupuncture with a minimal few hundred hours of training. This exception has already been carved out for M.D.'s, unfortunately, and now, with this precedence, the chiropractic lobbyists have widened the loophole.

What is acupuncture without the theoretical framework of Chinese medicine? It's just sticking needles in people. And, unfortunately, an uneducated patient without understanding the distinctions in training, can undergo significant harm. The qualifications of the average acupuncturist is stated below. Compare that to the chiropractors and M.D. acupuncturists. Not to mention that many acupuncturists like myself, spend their entire careers training in this medicine....

Excerpted from an older post on Acupuncture vs. Medical Acupuncture

It is not uncommon for prospective patients to call my office and ask whether or not I am a "medical doctor." Typically, this question stems from the fact that some medical insurance companies will only reimburse if acupuncture is performed by an MD, and the lack of understanding of the training of Chinese medicine practitioners and that of the medical doctor.

Practitioners of Chinese medicine train for approximately 4 years in medical school, just like medical doctors. The difference is that we spend 75% to 80% of our time training in the theories and practice of Chinese medicine, including extensive clinical internships and externships. The remainder of our training is in western medicine and sciences. Cognizant of the fact that we live in a world dominated by western science, the practitioner of Chinese medicine must be knowledgeable of western medicine.

During our time in medical school, we spend over 3,000 hours studying acupuncture (channels, acupoints, clinical techniques and applications), Chinese medical theories, physiology and pathophysiology, herbal medicines (including herb combinations, synergies, and formulations), classical Chinese medicine, and treating patients under the guidance of supervising acupuncturists and herbalists. Not to mention that many practitioners, like myself, have extensive post-graduate training with senior practitioners and masters in the field.

So, what training do MDs or Chiropractors have in acupuncture? None. The one's who will advertise as "medical acupuncturists" have trained for approximately 200 hours, typically a weekend course and some "homework." This is the standard recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) so that doctors know when to refer out to fully-trained acupuncturists. MDs, osteopaths, naturopaths and chiropractors only have this limited training. They are not practicing Chinese medicine, just using needles. Sticking needles in someone without knowledge of the underlying theories of Chinese medicine is not practicing acupuncture and is not recommended by this practitioner.

Acupuncture is strong medicine with the power to bring awareness of our imbalances to the body and mind and help correct them. Despite what you hear from an MD, its influence extends far beyond neural pathways and the release of endorphins. Improper training in and use of this sacred healing art is an affront to every skilled practitioner and to the majesty of Chinese medicine.

A strong foundation in the principles of Chinese medicine is prerequisite to being a good acupuncturist. But it is only the beginning. The simple act of inserting a needle requires significant cultivation on the part of the practitioner to feel for the arrival of Qi under the needle. According to Yanagiya Sorei and Shudo Denmei, two famous Japanese master acupuncturists, forcing an acupuncture needle into the skin of a patient is akin to rape. In 1980 Master Yanagiya stated:

Inserting needles and applying moxa, this is an art. Ours is a profession which requires a sense of adventure. Isn't it incredible how all manner of diseases can be cured with nothing more than a needle or a few pieces of moxa? Isn't it grand how needles and moxa can be used to create the effect of all manner of medicine?

Acupuncture is of the mind. This should be considered very carefully. One needle can be used to unlock the key to all manner of diseases. It is only natural, therefore, that one's technique needs to be perfected.

Which kind of acupuncturist will you go see?