No to licensing of herbalists

2 February 2006 Feast of Flames

Dear Marguerite, and anyone else who thinks herbalists need licenses:

No to all licensing of herbs and herbalists. Never. No way.

Ask the midwives of North America. They fell for "let's regulate ourselves before the big boys do." And they regulated themselves out of existence. There are no midwives left, according to Jeannine Parvati; only medwives. I agree. Let us learn from their mistake. No licenses for herbalists.

Herbal medicine is people's medicine. People don't need licenses to care for themselves and their families. Licenses don't protect people; they protect, and create, institutions. Herbalism is change, individuality, and uniqueness. Institutions don't change. Licensing herbalists kills herbal medicine. Licenses, and their companion, liability insurance, set up protocols. The art of herbalism is re-placed with "evidence-based" science designed to protect healers, not heal patients. No licenses for herbalists.

I have taught and lived in Germany, where herbs and herbalism are licensed. In daily life, this meant my access to herbs was limited, and my students -- many of whom are professional, licensed healers -- were threatened with loss of their licenses when they recommended home-made medicines such as dandelion vinegar and St. Joan's/John's wort oil. No licenses for herbalists.

Any American who wants a license to heal with herbs can get one. There are plenty available. Be an herbalist and a massage therapist, an herbalist and a chiropractor, a naturopath specializing in herbs, an acupuncturist/herbalist, even an M.D. herbalist. Surely these are enough. No more licenses.

Licenses do not confer credit or merit or worth. They replace these things. We have an excellent system already in place for "certifying" herbalists: the apprentice system. We know each other, our strengths and foibles. We know who we have trained. And we talk openly. Licenses make people less secure, less likely to trust each other, less open, more protective. No licenses for herbalists.

Herbs are not manufactured. They grow. Besides standards of purity and identity -- which are in place -- we do not need rules. Except perhaps to consider banning the use of herbs in capsules, which, to my mind, are more likely to be harmful than any other dosage form available.

I stand firm and proud for herbal medicine free of licenses. Reconsider your plan. Herbalists have a long heritage as revolutionaries. Don't make Culpepper and Euell Gibbons, Maude Grieves and Adelma Simmons rise from their graves to remind us: No licenses for herbalists.

I, personally don't want to be forced to go underground, like the Chinese acupuncturists in my area, who cannot legally practice because they don't speak enough English to pass the exam and get a license. No licenses for herbalists.

I say "NO" to all attempts to license herbalists. Please raise your voices with me, in a lusty green yell:

TRUST YOURSELF; TRUST THE EARTH; NO LICENSES FOR HERBALISTS!

Green blessings, Susun S. Weed www.susunweed.com

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Comments

[Rhonda]

I was on the fence but not anymore. Your wisdom shines through and continues to light the way for the wise woman. Thank you Susun!

[Tamara]

You are absolutely right on this.

[Crystal Childs]

Susun,

I thank you, for once again helping me to see and hear clearly through the confusion of the society in which I live. I feel, again, empowered to share simple wisdom with the womyn around me. And, I would love to see this letter in the OHA - Canadian Journal of Herbalism!

[Pam Striker]

I'm with you Susun and I loved your article in the "Mystic Pop" magazine.

Are those your goats in the picture? I have six goats and they are the best!

Warmly,

Pam

[Justine]

Pam, hi..those are Susun's goats in the picture...she has kept a herd for about 30 years now...

[Justine]

here is a thread at the forum concerning the document related to licensing herbalists...

http://www.susunweed.com/weedforum/viewtopic.php?p=90207

[Alisha Christian]

Dearest Susan,

I am so thankful to have wonderful, brilliant, wise and loving womyn like you to learn from. Your wisdom and fervor is exhilirating and eye-opening. I am behind you 100%! Please believe my heart and soul are in it when I echo you and yell:
TRUST YOURSELF;
TRUST THE EARTH;
NO LICENSES FOR HERBALISTS!

[Nathaniel]

I agree with all these points. What about the AHG membership if it remains voluntary?

[danita]

I have had the knowing most of my life and felt less than because of no degree and thought I could not write or teach about or really develop it without a degree...You make ultimate sense. Thank you! I understand now...

[Amy Marias]

I agree, there should not be licences for herbalists that is obsurd- to licence one who walks in the forest,or grows in the garden, it doesn't seem right. We do have enough rules and regulations- there need not be a standard licence for practicing herbalism, the art and passion would die out, people would study to pass exams and not for the love and exhilaration of helping others or ourselves. I do hope this does not come about- is there a petition or other to sign to show opposition? Many Green and loving Blessings- Amy

[Marguerite Uhl(wo)mann-Bower nurse - herbalist]

Hello again to a dear sister.
We all thank you for writing as you did on the TMC. You inspire us.
We were so elated to hear someone in the herbal community coming out to bear all
for the sake of plant medicine ways.
Your words are real.
You opened my eyes and bolstered my inner vision to continue to walk in the footsteps of intuitive
knowing ... from my heart ... and no license !

When the T.M.C. first made its way onto
my computer screen last November, my silly mind was 'reading' blindly. Though I felt a
wrenching feeling in my heart that screamed a temper tantrum, I still thought it would be
good to hear what other herbalists had to say. You gave us insight, thoughts, ... bravery !
We had a feeling you would.
We now believe without a doubt, we will keep the tradition alive in its original way.

Since your letter, we've seen others (herbalists)speak out.
Since your letter my libra-ness has taken its long over due position.
... no licensing of traditional wise woman plant medicine.
Since your letter, I hear rumblings. Yeah !

Peace and love from ...

'Just over the hill and around the bend' from Hollister Hill Rd. in Delhi

Green Blessings, Marguerite

[katt]

ooooohhh wow thay are threatening to lisence herbalists now??!! YUCK!!

thank you Susun for ROCKING OUT and saying, hello, NOT!

they want to lisence everything anyone does for any reason. . . i live the absurdity of it. I'm a fiddler/violinist. Inorder for it to be Legal for me to PLay my Intsrument anywhere someone might actualy hear me, I have to get liscences to play on the streets of each town i live in, as well as in the subway. The club, cafe, concert hall, gallery or even one-time event that wants me to come play has to get a liscence- from groups of people who inturn had to get them. if someone dares not to, they can be arrested, shut down, fined, and condemned for daring to have one little measly fiddler play some obscure music in front of a whopping dangerous crowd of 20 or 30 people. in order to teach people in a school how to play the violin- which i've done my entire life for many hours a day- i have to pay out $30,000 a year to some crackpot music conservatoire to get a degree- a kind of liscence- that says i play the violin. Absurd!! Just as absurd as liscencing herbalists!! Silly and Insane!

NO WAY to doing this to herbalists!! No No Nope Nope, the Goddess says NO!!

Thank YOu Susn for speaking Truth to Power. . . . . .

[Ronda]

I agree with the article and think someone shoud get a national petition started to protect herbalists and herbal medicine...

[Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower]

Excellent idea regarding a National Petition.
Count me in.

[Reality]

Complete unregulation of herbs would be stupid. The least of things we need is uninformed consumers taking random pills they assume is good for them-- or worse-- unregulated pills with too high of doses.

[KarenJoy]

Here is an important note to pass on....

Greetings Everyone,

Here is an update:

The TMC COMMENT PEROID CLOSES on June 30th.

Please comment, even if you just say ditto to someone else's comment. The number of responses matters.

Please include a request for extending the comment period until Oct. 30, 2006.

Thank you for taking the time to be involved. Send your comments to either or both of these sites for your comments to be considered by the TMC folks.

www.traditionalmedicinescongress.com

TMCongressFeedback@pobox.com

NEW HERBAL FORUM FOR COMMUNICATION ON TMC AND OTHER HERBAL ISSUES

We are pleased to announce the creation of the Herbal Forum web site sponsored by the Herb Research Foundation (HRF). (HRF is non-profit and non-partisan, dedicated to supporting herbal education and disseminating information.)

Please post your comments, ideas and suggestions on this site. A history of comments is being added to assist in the process. Please review this web-site when you have the time.

One of the goals of this site is to facilitate open communication on matters that affect the diverse herbal community. We hope you will all use this site to help keep us informed on issues that impact herbalists and Herbalism.

www.herbs.org/forum

AHG Conference October 26-29 2006

If you are attending would you please let us know? We are planning a meeting and discussion on the TMC proposal. More on this next month.

Thank you.

Peace & Green Blessings,
Cynthia Pileggi
Herbalist, Formulator
Guffey, CO

[Mariela Gorrin]

I agree with you all....and I admire Susun for standing up and scream NO!!

I am an Ayurvedic Massage Therapist and Yoga Instructor, trained in India, and since I live in the State of Florida, I have to get myself licensed to practice massage, 680 hours required, plus two exams and two fees of $400 and $250, and also I have to get registered with the Yoga Alliance and pay them $250.00, so they can "certify" me again.......It is completely ridiculous, the "mambo yambo" and all the money we have to pay. Oh! and let's not forget insurance.....the magical word of "insurance".

I am with you all.....NO TO LICENSING!

Count me in for a National petition.

Thank you and Angel Blessings to you ALL!!!!!!

Mariela Gorrin (Miami, Florida)

[Annie Little Bird]

Frankly I'm pretty nervous about this whole thing. I certainly don't understand why a few people can set themselves up as the determining group and tell the rest of us what to do. Becoming an herbalist is a life path for me - my maternal great grandfather was hung for being a medicine man and this is beginning to feel like we could all be essentially "hung out to dry" for not being licensed. My goal is to set up in a small community that doesn't have access to immediate health care and do my best to educate and keep people healthy naturally. I certainly don't want to have herbs go the way of acupuncture in this country.

Does it always have to be about money and power? That is not how Ii was raised and I will stick to my principles and say no!

Thank you Susun for taking a stand.

[judyth shamosh]

I agree 100% with Susun. Licensing means nothing but regulation by people who don't know or care about what we do.
Licensing is about control not better herbalists.

[KarenJoy]

There is also a thread at our forum where the discussion continues and I have been given permission to post some of the thought presented by other well-respected herbalists on the topic... http://www.susunweed.com/weedforum/viewtopic.php?t=12115

Thank you all for your passion!!

Karen Joy

[Bonnie Kelemen]

I agree wholeheartedly...NO to the licensing of herbalists.

[mydu]

no to licensing. Our wise ways work what are they afaird of....healing?

[mydu]

no to licensing. Our wise ways work what are they afaird of....healing?

[Gayle Eversole]

For people who do not understand the matter relating to licensing of health care and related work - LICENSING is a political control mechanism to limit practice and to raise money for a state. Even registration is a control mechanism.
All of this this is based on a Newtonian model which is not adept at facrtoing in the quantum approach to healing with herbs.
But beward, many licensed health care folks are trying to et in on the bandwagon ans few are properly adept in herbalism.
I can sya this because I studied herbs for healing many years before I became a "licensed" health care provider.
I helped write the Idaho legislation that protects this, yet allows those hybrid NDs a license so they can bill insurance and allow their practice to be run by a clerk in some office pod at an insurance company.

[Michael Tierra]

Sorry folks -- there's some misinformation being spread with a few of my colleagues who are unwilling to see beyond themselves on this issue. To begin: who is trying to license herbalists? Secondly being licensed does not necessarily preclude someone who is not licensed, 'walking in the woods' picking and using herbs from doing so.

I don't care about the issue of license but I do care about standards in herbal practice and people like Susan and myself who have dedicated our lives to the study and practice of herbal medicine to not be lumped in the same category and public eye as the many people who take a 'quickie' weekend herb class and flaunt a "master herbalist' degree.

Its a matter of making a distinction and upholding standards. The AHG is not promoting licensing but has a system of peer review for its professional membership applicants. We try to stipulate a certain standard for our professional members and they can claim themselves as professional AHG members. We are absolutely against prohibiting any non-AHG herbalist from practicing. In fact, we actively support non-members who we consider as herbal colleagues.

Now as an aside, I am a California state licensed acupuncturist as is a number of my colleagues and we've only felt blessed with our acupuncture license.