In states like North Carolina, it is against the law to provide nutritional advice even for free if you are not licensed by the American Dietetic Association. This means that, under the law, you could not advise a diabetic to avoid sugar unless you are a registered RD! While it is only a misdimeanor, it is punishable by fines and even imprisonment. You might be wondering why people who have more training than RDs, such as people with a PhD in nutrition can't give nutritional advice to their friends or clients. Because this is absurd, it makes one wonder about how a law like this could come into existence.
Could it be that those corporations such as Big Agra and Big Pharma have had the political clout to persuade lawmakers to create such a ridiculous policy? To become an RD it takes a BA plus a 6-12 month internship at a healthcare facility, community agency, or food service organization, and passing a test administered by the ADA.
Other examples of this kind of lawmaking reminds us of the case of naturopaths trying to become licensed in many states and failing, or of complementary and alternative MDs who would like to provide their patients with treatment in addition to surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. These are felonies in many states!
