FAKING IT                                                     Richard J B Willis

The recent commercial fiasco over Coca Cola's sale of bottled tap water and its withdrawal from the soft drink market exposes a flaw in the community psyche.  People believed that the water advertised as 'pure' came from a spring and were disappointed to learn otherwise.  People apparently want the 'real' thing.

So what do we make of Golden 'C' water marketed in the US as Golden 'C' Lithium Structured Water, and selling at $15 per half ounce.  It claims to be able to align and balance chakras and meridians; is a negative ion generator; clears stressful emotions and negative thought forms; rids crystals, food, rooms, people and pets of all negative energy; reduces stress; disperses anger; boots the immune system; dispels the energies created by dreams and nightmares; improves mental concentration; assists deeper meditations; soothes and hydrates skin; and creates the environment for visionary dreams.

In addition to all these intrinsic qualities Golden 'C' is alleged to protect from electromagnetic pollution created by kitchen appliances, TVs microwaves from ovens, environment, electric clocks, stereos, and tension cables.  It is even supposed to refract more angstroms of light than water from Lourdes!  Whilst it may be fairly easy to spot this one coming, and be wary of it, the authenticity of other therapeutic items may not be so easy to establish.

According to the World Health Organization around 10 per cent of all the drugs on sale globally are counterfeits.  Since various companies sell generic versions of named drugs in a variety of packaging these fakes may even turn up in High Street chemists and be issued as part of the prescribed medication.

These counterfeits are not reformulations of known drugs, they may be of completely inert substances.  Literally dozens of babies in China died recently and many hundreds of others are suffering malnutrition as a result of using counterfeit formula milks lacking nutritional value.  Unwittingly the mothers had simply been feeding their babies with coloured water.

Faking drugs has to be bad news wherever it happens, but especially when the counterfeiters are taking money away from impoverished people such as the majority of the AIDS victims in Africa.  These people are already risking their lives with faked condoms, and the lives of their families.

We take much on trust, and we would not want it to be otherwise.  In return we expect that our trust will be justified.  It seems that there is no compassion in the market-place where big money can be made.  Countless numbers have died from taking 'cut' drugs as well as from outright fakery.  It is time for us all to be wise regarding those who are faking it, and try to put a stop to such misery.