The worst products in the World?
By MsTickle
@MsTickle (25180)
Australia
November 18, 2007 5:38pm CST
I found this in my Newsletteter from Dr. Mercola and thought I'd share it with you all and find your opinion on these products.
"Consumers International recently announced the results of its International Bad Products Award. The “winners” of 2007 include:
Coca-Cola, for marketing its bottled tap water (Dasani) as something that is vastly superior to the water out of your tap
Kellogg’s, for marketing sugary, salty, junk food to children, with the message that these foods can give you amazing physical attributes
Mattel, for stonewalling US congressional investigations and avoiding responsibility for the global recall of 21 million toys tainted with lead; one containing more than 200 times the permitted amount of lead
But the “grand prize” this year went to Takeda Pharmaceuticals, for advertising sleeping pills to children. By using “reminder ads” (a slick loophole that allows companies to advertise without mentioning side effects), they were able to advertise their sleeping aid Rozerem, using images of children, classroom settings, and school buses, and using the reference of “Back to school” – all without ever having to mention ANY of the many side effects of this drug, or the fact that the safety of Rozerem for pediatric or adolescent use has never been established."
I don't think Coca Cola are alone in this claim and I so agree with the Kellogs vote. It's just wrong that they can pass their products off as healthy.
As for Mattel, this is shameful.
The big one, sleeping pills for children is no worse than child sedatives. I know a woman who sedated her infants so she could watch the afternoon soaps without being disturbed by her children. I also know many women who put their kids to sleep with sedatives. I even know of women who gave their babies alcohol in their milk to put them to sleep. And I see now where pain relief is being advertised on TV for infants....this must be dangerous in the hands of some, surely?
4 people like this
5 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
3 Dec 07
Although I don't agree with everything Dr. Mercola says, I think advisories are awesome and he is right on target with most of his warnings. I particularly follow what he posts about artificial sweeteners, as to my mind these are just deadly, and they keep changing the names around so fast it is hard to keep up with them.
Neotame, a revision of Aspartame is a case in point:
http://www.helium.com/tm/580292/neotame-warningmy-personal-crusade
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
10 Dec 07
Yes, and the only thing labeled as an artificial sweetener that I use is Xylitol (967) because I believe it to be functionally equivalent to Birch Sugar, and completely natural. I am amazed, too, that the people promoting unhealthy sugar substitutes try to scare everyone away from Birch Sugar saying that it has a laxative effect? That makes me wonder how much of this stuff they are consuming! Vitamin C has been accused of that, too, but my family has been taking several grams of the stuff daily for decades without any problems...also without any colds or flu.
I had not see that 951 on a label yet, so thanks for the heads up and here is another neat article:
http://www.silveronion.com/fitness_article_2.shtml
Thanks again!
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
28 Nov 07
Oh my goodness I have never heard anyone ever sedate their children so they could watch television, I have heard of it being done so they could get a good nights sleep or so the could go out and make it easy on the babysitter. I never would do something like that. I have a 15 year old nephew that takes pills that help him sleep otherwise he is up all night usually playing video games..I have heard of people giving catnip to babies..Actually my granny gave some to all of her kids and grandkids when they got fussy with the colic or a belly ache. I am not to sure about pain relief for infants I mean how do we know they are truly in pain yeah I know it hurts to teeth and all but I am not for giving children under 6 any pain medication. Would rather use a product called Head On for headaches and pain for kids something used on the outside not the inside causing problems. I think my mom's doctor for my sister is a quack he is always prescribing her pain meds and sometimes he double doses her at 4 teaspoons 3 times a day.. My mom never gives no more then two though because she asked the advice of another doctor and he also recommended only 2 teaspoons not 4. She is in the process of changing doctors now because he also messed up and prescribed her 2 pain meds and 2 allergy meds which aren't supposed to be tooken at the same time. She was only 5 she now turned 6 recently. So yes it can be dangerous in the hands of alot of people and not just parents but doctors as well..
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
10 Dec 07
Oh that's just like a horror story. A lot of doctors get perks from the pharmaceutical companies for pushing that companie's products.
As for the sleeping thing, humans have a body clock, we sleep when it's night. For infants and youngsters this is why routine is important. I saw a discussion where the majority of people practically ranted against the idea of routines for babies and children. I think for some parents it's too much of a hassle to do anything that might interrupt their own comfort....then the issues become long term problems.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
11 Dec 07
I just found out last night another nephew is taking a sleep aid it is a herbal one called melatonin. He is autistic. And he is hyped up most the type and he only takes it at night. I think most kids on sleeping pills are hyper kids. If these kids were pulled off their games a half hour to an hour before bedtime they may not actually need them I think it is the games and the excitement from them and wanting to make it to another level that keeps them hyped up before bed so if it was off limits before bed then many might not have that problem so much..I know my sister has caught my nephew on games in the middle of the night 1-2 o'clock in the morning when he is supposed to be asleep that is why he started taking the sleep aid because he was always getting up to play the game or watch television in the middle of the night..best thing I'd say would be to take the game out of the room at night. Well, I hope that one day they will be off of that junk..All these meds have side effects..One of my nephew was on ritalin and concerta he is off of it now. and the other meds he was taking also they caused just as many problems as they helped..kept taking more pills to counteract the other ones..senseless. So my sister just took him off of all of it and now he is doing better without it.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
3 Jan 08
Wouldn't it be good if we could go back to simpler times? No medicating kids- no overly processed foods with all sorts of wierd additives - no junk food, yeah, we had chips and soft drink and lollies but they were only consumed for special occasions not eaten all the time.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
19 Nov 07
its very bad for that pharmeceutical company and for mattel. But i really don't understand why kellogs was there.
The cocacola has done something wrong in our country too.
So many people started to avoid comsumption of soft drinks.
@ayou82 (3450)
• Philippines
19 Nov 07
My god what on earth is that sleeping pills for the young kids. I heard that before that Takeda Pharma used to produce pills like that when i was in japan ..I also know someone who use that in her kids to put them into sleep and stay in the streets to beg for money..
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
3 Dec 07
Are you saying the kids would get the medicine in the daytime so they could stay up all night? wouldn't the medicine be expensive? It seems a waste when if the the kids were I bed asleep at the proper time they wouldn't need medicine.
I know where you are coming from of course. i lived in Singapore for 2 years and if we went out on the weekend we would soetimes go to Bugis Street where children would play betting games with the soldiers. As the night wore on the single lads would get drunker and sillier and the kids, who were well trained and clever, would start betting bigger amounts and the lads would lose but by then they wouldn't even realise what was going on. These kids must have grown up to become very shrewd or criminals I think. Such a shame to lose their childhood in this way.
