Some scents help relax a client during an aromatherapy session.
The ingredients that make up essential oils are regulated by the USDA and FDA. These restrictions regulate the language an essential oil company can use when describing the healing properties of the oils. Others restrictions regard international trade for some ingredients. The natural ingredients inside essential oils are often imported from outside the U.S., so oils may also be subject to trade restrictions.
Food and Drug Administration Restrictions
Products that claim to have healing properties, or to promote healing, are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration.) Companies that use essential oils as a healing agents cannot advertise their products as cures for disease. If a company chooses to include ailments the oil relieves on the label, it must include language stating the claims have not been evaluated by the FDA. Studies and tests have been performed on many oils, but each time an oil is processed through different means, it must go through the FDA again.
Trade Restrictions
Essential oils are used around the world for healing, religious rituals and beauty treatments. Many cultures have used oils from flowers and plants for thousands of years. For example, the use of rose water as a beauty treatment in India. Consequently, some of the best ingredients for oils need to be imported in bulk from overseas. This obligates essential oil companies to follow import regulations set forth by U.S. Customs, international trade regulations and the export regulations from the country of origin. The U.S. Department of Commerce outlines the laws governing international trade. But laws are in constant flux, depending on changes in government policy in the U.S. and abroad. Some companies choose to consult a lawyer before importing and exporting large amounts of essential oil ingredients.
Agricultural Restrictions
Essential oil ingredients cultivated in the U.S. are subject to the USDA's national standards. States also have regulations regarding specific crops. These regulations affect essential oil farmers through inspections and certification, but the farming itself is not as stringently regulated as meat, poultry and large crop industries in the U.S. A grower who specializes in organic ingredients for essential oils must meet organic standards defined by the USDA. This means no synthetic pesticides are used on the plants during growing; but it also refers to processing ingredients. Only when an organic farmer meets these standards can she label her essential oils as organic.
Changes in Essential Oil Industry
As of 2011, little definitive scientific research exists on essential oils, but the sustainability and affordability of the oils garners attention in certain industries. For example; oils that act as mood enhancers interest both pharmaceutical and tobacco industries. But because the chemical composition of the herbs used to make essential oils changes, depending the location and weather, it is difficult to standardize a laboratory test. Difficulties also arise when using a standard blind test group. A blind test requires one group to be administered a placebo, while the other receives the actual essential oil. This poses obvious problems for testing the healing effects of aromatherapy. However, as of this publishing date, tests are performed on animals and plants in an effort to determine definite outcomes of essential oils.
Tags: essential oils, international trade, Restrictions Essential, blind test, Drug Administration