LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Assemblymember Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Compton), Chair of the California Assembly Committee on Health will convene legislative hearings in Southern California upon the adjournment of the legislative session on the use of deceptive advertising to promote sales of potentially unhealthy food additives, particularly artificial sweeteners.
The Committee plans on taking testimony from consumer watchdog organizations regarding the FDA's failure properly to examine the adverse health consequences of using false advertising to promote artificial sweeteners. Additionally, the Committee will receive testimony from a national food safety watchdog group on the widespread use of false and misleading advertising of artificial sweeteners.
The Committee will hear from consumers who reported using artificial sweeteners on the advertised assumption that they were side-effects free and then went through substantial gastrointestinal agony until they eliminated the sweeteners from their diets.
"Given the wide-spread interest is this issue, it is important that the Assembly Committee on Health examine whether Proposition 65 should apply to artificial sweeteners, since some contain chemicals like chlorine which can be extremely toxic. It is critical that the Committee examine whether products containing these potentially hazardous chemicals should be identified by a label so consumers can make more informed decisions before using these products," said Dymally.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Committee you may consider whether the issues raised merit new legislation. Any consumers or organizations that would like to be considered for the witness list should contact Francis Taylor at (310) 223-1201.