GAR#64 Food and Drug Standards

[Ktilqr]

I posted this in the RGM and got told it was the wrong place. I'm hoping this is the correct place.

I'm having problems in my nation due to contaminated bottled water which is not covered under the above regulation as it is not a "food" or a "drug" - I believe that the way the resolution is drafted is too restrictive as there are many items that are ingested/absorbed that cannot be classed as a "food" or "drug" but that I believe should be covered by the same level of regulation.

I appreciate that saying that the legislation is "too restrictive" when I want GREATER regulation, but it is the fact that if something cannot be defined as a food or drug then there is no international standard that I want addressed.

Originally I was just thinking of "food additives" (colouring, flavouring) where I felt standards should apply, but I now appreciate that it is much wider than just additives.

Here is my original draft - bash it as you will, I'm thick skinned and this is my first lesson.

My fledgling nation has recently had problems with contaminated bottled water and defective food additives. I checked through the World Assembly and came across the above resolution and discovered that it only covered Food and Drugs, although no definition of either was given.

It is in my opinion too restrictive in that it should cover anything that may be inhaled, consumed, injected or otherwise absorbed by the members of our nations.

If you are a diver, then it does not cover the preparation of the air in your breathing apparatus.

If you buy a bottle of water, it does not cover the preparation of the water.

If you add colouring to food, it does not cover the preparation of the colour.

I could go on, but all of these can create potentially dangerous situations.

I therefore propose a repeal of GAR #64and it's replacement with a Resolution covering anything that may be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by a member of a Nation, that has been produced for use by other members on a commercial basis.

This would not cover harvesting your own food and using it to feed yourself and your family or friends - but would mean that if you bottle water for selling even from a roadside stall, or from a basket on a beach that water can be tested and would be covered by the Resolution.

Thank you

[Hariko]

A repeal? Hmm.

Does the WA allow for amendments instead of all these repeals?

[Ktilqr]

No I checked that. You can't amend a resolution, it must be repealed and replaced.

OOC - I know I might seem a bit pernickety, but I am actually legally trained (UK law lol) and have a lot of experience with EU regulations and interpreting them.

This one grated on my nerves as soon as I read it. Food colouring is not "food" or "drug" - it slips through a lot of EU regulations because of this. Food safety legislation uses "produced" to sneak in anything that falls in the gaps, and that has been held to include washing vegetables for sale - bagged salads for instance. Just imagine if these used a toxic gas to preserve them, or the gas was contaminated with a deadly virus (anthrax for example). The same goes for bottled water - that's why EU legislation used "prepared or produced".

[Bhang Bhang Duc]

General piece of advice. Go into the NS World Assembly forum and get a feel for the style of repeals and new legislation. Read the rules and get involved in some of the ongoing debates before posting your own legislation.

The long-term participants of the WA are fairly cutting, but they do know their stuff and would help hone any legislation they thought had merit, even if they disagree with it.

[Ktilqr]

I have been reading the threads on new legislation, so I know that it would be a good idea to try and draft something to cover what I would like to see replace it. And also word it like those that got through to draft.

But I'm really looking for pointers as to whether this is something which I should spend time working on, or whether I'll just get shot down in flames.

Having seen some horrendously drafted regulations IRL, I know that drafting is not easy. But I honestly feel that this Resolution is just so full of loopholes it would be better repealed in full and left to each nation to set their own standards for EVERYTHING. I believe many nations will see that there is a "food and Drug" standard and be oblivious to the massive loophole in it.

[OOC] Sorry, but food additives are a pet peeve of mine. I came across this loophole a few months ago as the food labelling regulations do not cover "additives" and it made my son very ill because the label didn't specify exactly WHAT additive it contained - it just said "smoke flavouring".