>ATTENTION: ASSIGNMENTS EDITORS & PRODUCERS
>Contact Mary Stoddard: marystod@gmail.com
>
>"Freedom of the Press embraces the circulation of books as well as their
>publication."
> -- from Judge's ruling in Bantam Books v Sullivan [1963]
>
>FDA ATTEMPTS TO COMPEL DESTRUCTION OF BOOKS
>[On Natural Herbal Supplement Stevia]
>
> DALLAS - May 26, 1998 -- In an unprecendented move, US Food and
>Drug Administration officials threatened legal action against Texas-based
>Stevita Co., importers of the sweet-tasting herbal dietary supplement,
>Stevia - for distributing books and literature about their product. The
>latest volley in a bitter battle has been fired at Texas-based Stevita
>Co.by federal Food and Drug Administration officials. The FDA, an agency
>of the federal government, is responsible for upholding the U.S.
>Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. This
>responsiblity was drawn into question on May 19th when FDA Compliance
>Officer, James R. Lahar faxed a letter to Stevita Co. addressing the
>destruction of 2,500 books he deemed "offending," at a cost to the company
>well in excess of $10,000. The letter further threatens that investigators
>will conduct a current inventory and "witness the destruction of the
>cookbooks, literature, and other publications for the purpose of verifying
>compliance" upon visiting Stevita Co. for a fourth time this year.
> One of three books in question is The Stevia Story - A tale of
>incredible sweetness & intrigue, by Linda Bonvie, Bill Bonvie and Donna
>Gates with Foreword by James S. Turner, Esq.. Ironically, Chapter Four of
>the book the FDA wants to destroy is titled: "What's wrong with the FDA?"
>An attempt to strongarm critics into silence - similar to book burnings in
>Nazi Germany?
> Oscar Rodes, President of the Stevita Company said the FDA ordered
>the action because the books contain general information that include:
>history, usages and scientific studies regarding stevia. Currently,
>Federal law requires stevia herbal products can only be marketed as
>dietary supplements without any mention of having sweetening power.
>
> ###
>
>[Media contact Mary Stoddard for names and telephone numbers of all
>Principals available for interview]
>